Topic
Public Finance
5,915 speeches · 726 speakers
Party share
By the speaker's party · counts only, no scoring. "Unattributed" = speeches not resolved to an MP.
Most active on this topic
| # | Member | Speeches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, M.P. NDF | 283 |
| 2 | Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha, M.P. JJB | 229 |
| 3 | Hon. Sajith Premadasa, M.P. SJB | 171 |
| 4 | Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe, M.P. JJB | 167 |
| 5 | Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, M.P. JJB | 153 |
| 6 | Hon. Kumara Jayakody, M.P. JJB | 147 |
| 7 | Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva, M.P. SJB | 140 |
| 8 | Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa, M.P. JJB | 135 |
| 9 | Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, M.P. JJB | 115 |
| 10 | Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney at Law, M.P. SJB | 92 |
Speeches
5,915 on this topic- 17 June 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe said repeated concerns about LRC lands relate to irregularities involving political actors, some officials, manipulated records, and misuse of LRC funds, including a COPE-revealed loss of about Rs. 350 million on an organic fertilizer project. He also noted excess staff recruitment during election periods and said the Government is investigating complaints, digitizing LRC records, and preparing procedures to regularize operations. He stated that a plan is being developed to use LRC lands for residential, agricultural, and industrial purposes to support the economy and provide proper access and title to the public. Oral Question Q.??/2025: Land Reform Commission Employee Land Grants Read →
- 17 June 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe stated that a programme has begun to grant LRC land permits and deeds to current occupants using such lands for housing or agriculture, with a target of at least 5,000 land titles in 2025. He added that the Government also plans to allocate at least 500 LRC land parcels for commercial, agricultural, and industrial investment projects in 2025, with the aim of contributing to economic value and growth. Oral Question Q.??/2025: Land Reform Commission Employee Land Grants Read →
- 17 June 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe explained that the Land Reforms Commission’s allocation of housing plots to eligible employees was based on Commission-approved welfare policy, limited to staff with at least five years’ continuous service and no disciplinary action. He stated that plot sizes and charges were determined under prior Commission circulars and legal provisions, and that transfers were made through normal conveyancing processes, making “Sinnakkara” deeded land private property. He noted that issues raised in the 2023 Auditor General’s Report on land allocations would be reviewed and rectified by the current Commission, and tabled the register of employee land beneficiaries as an annexure. Oral Question Q.??/2025: Land Reform Commission Employee Land Grants Read →
- 17 June 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe - Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister stated that the Land Reform Commission has allocated land lots to serving employees under an employee welfare scheme since 1982, with recoveries made from employees. He said records from 2007 to 11 April 2025 show that deeds have been issued to 395 employees, and that a full report would be presented. He explained that the scheme was implemented under the Land Reform Law, No. 1 of 1972, particularly provisions relating to employee welfare, as an alternative to the costly provision of housing or hostel facilities, with earlier allocations generally around 40 perches per employee. Oral Question Q.??/2025: Land Reform Commission Employee Land Grants Read →
- 17 June 2025 The Hon. R.M. Jayawardhana JJB AI summary Hon. R.M. Jayawardhana explained delays in Mahapola stipend payments, noting that the current system requires Treasury funds to pass through the UGC and the Mahapola Trust Fund, while universities must also provide updated and accurate beneficiary lists. He stated that payments of Rs. 5,000 per month up to March are ready to be completed once Treasury funds are received, and that from April the allowance has increased to Rs. 7,500, with two months still pending due to roll-update delays. He said the Trust and Ministry are working to reduce the present three-month lag to about one month. Oral Question Q.??/2025: Mahapola Educational and Trade Fair Read →
- 17 June 2025 The Hon. R.M. Jayawardhana - Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister provided a written response on the Mahapola Educational and Trade Fair Secretariat and the Lalith Athulathmudali Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund. He stated that the last Mahapola fair was held in Ja-Ela from 13 to 17 December 2023, with Rs. 93.21 million disbursed, Rs. 52.42 million recovered, and Rs. 40.79 million outstanding, while a planned Anuradhapura fair did not take place despite related advance and vehicle hire payments in 2024. He also reported the Fund’s assets as Rs. 2,092.71 million, including investment properties, National Wealth Ltd. investment, and other assets, with supporting annexures placed in the Library. Oral Question Q.??/2025: Mahapola Educational and Trade Fair Read →
- 17 June 2025 The Hon. Ajith Gihan JJB AI summary Ajith Gihan asked the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co-operative Development to provide details on the most recent Mahapola Educational and Trade Fair, including its date, venue, and expenditure. He also requested the current value of the capital assets of the Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund, and asked for reasons if the information could not be provided. Oral Question Q.??/2025: Mahapola Educational and Trade Fair Read →
- 17 June 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe stated that the Ministry is reviewing issues in the preparation of studies related to the Gin–Nilwala Project, as well as studies on other flood-prone rivers including the Kelani. He said the Ministry, in consultation with the Department of Irrigation, is preparing a work plan to identify existing studies, assess their findings, and determine the necessary follow-up actions. Oral Question Q.??/2024: Gin River Overflow and Flood Management Read →
- 17 June 2025 The Hon. T.K. Jayasundara JJB AI summary T.K. Jayasundara asked whether proper procurement procedures were followed for assessments and surveys conducted since around 2010 in Warukandeniya, Madugate and other areas of the Neluwa Divisional Secretariat Division. He also sought an explanation for why the related proposal had now been halted. Oral Question Q.??/2024: Gin River Overflow and Flood Management Read →
- 17 June 2025 The Hon. S.M. Marikkar SJB AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar urged that temporary concessions be provided for low-income elderly electricity consumers facing disconnection. He criticized the Ceylon Electricity Board’s reliance on disconnections and Rs. 3,000 reconnection fees, arguing that reminder calls would be a cheaper and more compassionate alternative, and expressed dissatisfaction with the Minister’s response. Oral Question Q.279/2024: SMS Service for Electricity Bills Read →
- 17 June 2025 The Hon. Kumara Jayakody JJB AI summary Hon. Kumara Jayakody stated that although most consumers are aware of the registration process, a small proportion may not respond under any system. He said introducing general outbound reminder calls would require additional call centre staff and incur significant costs, though targeted measures could be considered if specific problems are identified. Oral Question Q.279/2024: SMS Service for Electricity Bills Read →
- 17 June 2025 The Hon. S.M. Marikkar SJB AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar asked whether the Ceylon Electricity Board would introduce a telephone reminder system before disconnecting electricity for non-payment, particularly for elderly customers using basic mobile phones who may not notice SMS alerts. He emphasized that electricity is an essential service and noted that unexpected disconnections and high reconnection costs create hardship for consumers. Oral Question Q.279/2024: SMS Service for Electricity Bills Read →
- 17 June 2025 The Hon. Kumara Jayakody - Minister of Energy JJB AI summary The Minister of Energy responded to a question on the electricity bill SMS service, stating that it began about two years ago and is not mandatory. He said 6,964,414 consumers, or about 97.1 per cent of active consumers, had registered by June 2025, while about 204,832 remained unregistered. He added that consumers without mobile phones can receive printed bills on request. Oral Question Q.279/2024: SMS Service for Electricity Bills Read →
- 6 June 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha JJB AI summary The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha stated that the 78 comparative reductions resulted from corrections to salary disparities and said these would be clearly explained to those affected. He said the objective is to minimize anomalies and move toward a better salary structure, with Circular 01/2025 serving as the foundation. Adjournment: Adjournment Motion and Questions Read →
- 6 June 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha - Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development JJB AI summary Minister Anil Jayantha stated that Management Services Circular 01/2025 has not reduced public sector salaries and said concerns about ETF staff salary cuts arise from correcting earlier non-compliance with circulars MSD 30/2006 and MSD 02/2016. He reported that the ETF is valued at Rs. 564.38 billion, has 81,511 registered employers and 2.58 million active registered members receiving benefits. He said salary disparities between pre- and post-2013 recruits had been created by past internal decisions, and that after adjustments 78 of 820 ETF employees saw lower April salaries than March, mostly by under Rs. 4,000, while rejecting claims of Rs. 9,000 or Rs. 20,000 reductions. Adjournment: Adjournment Motion and Questions Read →
- 6 June 2025 The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake raised concerns that Employees’ Trust Fund Board staff salaries had been reduced following the implementation of Circular 01/2025 after recent government salary increases, citing reported reductions of Rs. 9,010 to Rs. 22,000 for many employees. He asked the Minister of Finance for details on the ETF’s fund value, registered employers, and benefit-receiving members, and questioned whether the salary structure was fair. He argued that the issue affects around 560 of the ETF’s approximately 800 staff and requested a just salary increase and a fair resolution, while also referring to the Fund’s reported Rs. 506 billion value and expenditure on other activities. Adjournment: Adjournment Motion and Questions Read →
- 6 June 2025 The Hon. Susil Ranasinghe - Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister, responding on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation to Question No. 619/2025, confirmed that the “Mahaweli Punaruda Sathiya” programme was implemented with objectives including accelerating Mahaweli development, poverty alleviation, infrastructure improvement, community participation, and alignment with the Clean Sri Lanka National Programme. He stated that Rs. 52.758 million was spent and listed activities undertaken, including voluntary work programmes, agricultural, fisheries, livestock, irrigation, road, community, environmental, medical, anti-drug, land development, and staff training initiatives. Oral Question: Mahaweli Re-awakening Week (Q.619/2025) Read →
- 6 June 2025 The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake urged the Minister not to close the Pelwatte and Sevanagala sugar factories, noting that Sri Lanka has few sugar factories remaining after closures such as Kantale. He proposed imposing VAT on imported white sugar while removing VAT on locally produced brown sugar, arguing that this would help resolve the problems facing the domestic sugar industry. Oral Question: State-Owned Sugar Companies (Q.191/2024) Read →
- 6 June 2025 The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake discussed ethanol pricing and the trade-off between importing cheaper ethanol from South Africa and protecting local ethanol factories. He noted that even when ethanol was supplied at Rs. 1,200 per litre under the previous government, liquor prices remained high, and questioned why bottle prices are now around Rs. 3,600 if ethanol costs do not justify such increases. Oral Question: State-Owned Sugar Companies (Q.191/2024) Read →
- 6 June 2025 The Hon. Sunil Handunnetti JJB AI summary Arguing that payments to farmers and workers should not be reduced, Sunil Handunnetti proposed increasing the ethanol price per litre from Rs. 475 to Rs. 800. He stated that this increase would not require arrack prices to rise and appealed for support from Hon. Chamara Sampath. Oral Question: State-Owned Sugar Companies (Q.191/2024) Read →