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- 5 March 2025 The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB AI summary Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism for details on the current status of the Madunagala Tourist Project initiated by the Ruhunu Tourist Bureau. He sought expenditure figures for the unfinished heart revival centre, cafeteria, restroom, dining hall, tourist bungalow and rural bazaar, and asked whether the Minister was aware of their reported disrepair. He also requested the Government’s planned steps to complete, repair, or re-implement the project. Oral Question: Madunagala Tourist Project (Q.1/2025) Read →
- 5 March 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva presented the Committee on Public Finance report covering the 2025 Budget and economic situation, priority investment projects for 2025-2027, the Citizens’ Budget 2025, and the Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy and Annual Borrowing Plan for 2025. The report was ordered to lie upon the Table. Papers Presented: Annual Reports and Committee Reports Read →
- 4 March 2025 Mr. Chairman AI summary The Chair put the Questions on allocations under Heads 259 to 265 for District Secretariats in Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Galle, Matara, Hambantota, and Jaffna during consideration of the Schedule. The Committee agreed to the specified recurrent and capital expenditure amounts for each listed Head, and those Programme 01 allocations were ordered to stand part of the Schedule. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 Hon. Members AI summary Parliament agreed to an amendment increasing the recurrent provision for Head 253, Programme 01, by Rs. 10 billion to Rs. 414.354 billion, while approving Rs. 81 million in capital expenditure for the same programme. The Committee then approved recurrent and capital allocations under Head 254 for the Department of Registrar General and Heads 255 to 258 for the Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, and Kandy District Secretariats, ordering each to stand part of the Schedule. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 Hon. Members AI summary The Committee agreed to insert the amended recurrent expenditure total of Rs. 473 billion into the Schedule and ordered it to stand part of the Schedule. It also approved Head 130 allocations, including Rs. 3.992 billion for Programme 01 recurrent expenditure, Rs. 1.735 billion for Programme 01 capital expenditure, and Rs. 23.3 billion for Programme 02 capital expenditure. Proceedings then moved to Head 253, the Department of Pensions, with allocations listed for operational recurrent and capital expenditure. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. (Prof.) A.-H.M.H. Abayarathna AI summary On behalf of the Minister of Finance, the member moved a Committee Stage amendment to the 2025 Appropriation Bill relating to the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government. The amendment seeks to revise the recurrent expenditure allocation on page 21, line 23, to Rs. 473 billion. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. (Prof.) Anil Jayantha JJB AI summary Plans were outlined to protect labour rights, recognize diverse forms of work, generate employment, and accelerate implementation and possible ratification of relevant ILO conventions, including those on workplace safety and protection. The management of the EPF and ETF was highlighted, noting their combined assets of about Rs. 4 trillion, with an emphasis on improving investment returns for workers’ retirement security. The Ministry aims to strengthen coordination with the Central Bank, digitize EPF/ETF services and Labour Department administration, and promote industrial peace as part of a broader shift in production relations. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. (Prof.) Anil Jayantha JJB AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Anil Jayantha said Opposition members had raised some relevant issues but also made false claims, and he argued that the Government’s approach represents a broader shift in governance, including transparency on matters such as salaries, taxation and petroleum blocks. Responding to questions on employment, he stated that a Cabinet-appointed officials’ committee had identified 15,453 vacancies, with Cabinet approval already granted to recruit 7,456 persons and a further 2,003 posts recommended, supported by a Rs. 10 billion allocation. He said future public sector recruitment would be conducted systematically and according to rules, rather than through political patronage or irregular procedures. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. (Prof.) A.H.M.H. Abayarathna - Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government JJB AI summary The Minister rejected allegations by the Leader of the Opposition that transfers of Chief Secretaries and District Secretaries were politically motivated, citing individual cases to state that the officers had retired voluntarily or been moved to other responsible posts. He outlined the Ministry’s 2025 programme, including the Integrated Pension Management System, revision of the Pension Minute, nationwide death-reporting links with the Registrar General to prevent post-death pension payments, and digital services for pensioners, beneficiaries, the Public Service Provident Fund, and overseas access to civil documents. He said the Ministry would consider MPs’ proposals, especially from the North and East, through relevant processes, and noted that the 2025 Independence celebrations were organized in a cost-effective manner. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. Waruna Liyanage SJB AI summary Hon. Waruna Liyanage urged amendments to outdated labour laws, specifically the Factories Ordinance and the Shop and Office Employees Act, and called for stronger enforcement of EPF/ETF obligations, including settlement of arrears in state plantation estates and recruitment of more labour inspectors. He requested permanency and insurance-related relief for provincial and local government workers, improvements to the Agrahara scheme, and vehicle permit relief for entitled retiring public servants. He also raised concerns over reductions to MPs’ insurance and criticized recent local government election law changes, arguing that increased council membership, governance deadlocks, and unequal nomination deposits should be corrected. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. P. Ruwan Senarath - Deputy Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government JJB AI summary Deputy Minister P. Ruwan Senarath outlined 2025 allocations and projects under Provincial Councils and Local Government, including Rs. 22,789 million for local authorities, Rs. 5,000 million for rural roads and bridges, Clean Sri Lanka waste-management initiatives, digitization of all 341 local authorities, and foreign-funded projects in the Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces. He detailed funding for solid waste management, sanitation, recycling facilities, tourism-linked local authority infrastructure, Colombo tax administration and wastewater projects, rural bridges, and proposed Japanese-supported infrastructure for four emerging provinces. He also alleged serious irregularities at the Sri Lanka Institute of Local Governance, including governance failures and missing project funds, and said a new board and Director would be appointed and investigations pursued. He argued that government savings would come from curbing fraud, waste and misuse of public funds, citing past fuel expenditure by a former State Minister as an example. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) M.L.A.M. Hizbullah SLMC AI summary Hon. (Dr.) M.L.A.M. Hizbullah urged the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government to resolve long-standing administrative boundary issues in Batticaloa District, particularly the undefined boundaries of the Koralaipattu Central Divisional Secretariat and other DS divisions affected by war-related administrative complications. He requested implementation of relevant Panambalana Commission recommendations and the appointment of a special committee to find a permanent solution. He also asked the Minister to address a gap in Budget 2025 pension revision proposals by considering relief for pensioners who retired between 1 January 2020 and 31 March 2025, citing cost-of-living pressures and a submission from the Oddamavadi Pensioners’ Association. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. Mahinda Jayasinghe - Deputy Minister of Labour JJB AI summary Mahinda Jayasinghe defended the Government’s public sector salary revision, rejecting Opposition claims that the increase was misleading and stating that the minimum public service salary would rise from Rs. 24,250 to Rs. 40,000. He said disputes raised by doctors concerned changes to leave and overtime allowance calculations rather than salary reductions, and noted that the GMOA had suspended its token strike following discussions. He acknowledged that the increase was not fully sufficient given inflation and living costs, but argued it was the best feasible measure in the Government’s first Budget after economic default, while also noting remaining pension anomalies to be addressed in future Budgets. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. Mohamed Sali Naleem AI summary Hon. Mohamed Sali Naleem raised concerns over unresolved divisional and Grama Niladhari boundary issues in Batticaloa and the wider North and East, arguing that failures to gazette and implement past administrative recommendations have caused land, registration, service-delivery and appointment-related problems for Muslim communities. He cited the Panambalana Commission recommendations, the Koralaipattu Central, Koralaipattu South/Kiran, Oddamavadi, Eravur and related DS/GN divisions, and said land administration has remained irregular despite decades of discussion. He urged the Government, in the context of the Budget allocations for Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, and Labour, to formally demarcate and gazette these boundaries and address perceived inequities in land allocation and programmes such as “Urumaya.” Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. Chandana Sooriyaarachchi JJB AI summary Hon. Chandana Sooriyaarachchi raised concerns about unresolved service conditions in the public sector, including inadequate salary scales, transfer issues, and the absence of allowances for Economic Development Officers. He also noted unfulfilled commitments relating to Management Service officers, including renaming the service, implementing the MN-3 MoU, and filling MN-2 vacancies. He said graduates currently in minor grades should be absorbed into suitable public service posts, and that the Government would seek solutions through the Advisory Committee’s subcommittee process. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. Chandana Sooriyaarachchi JJB AI summary Hon. Chandana Sooriyaarachchi supported the Budget provisions for the Ministries of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, and Labour, emphasizing increases to public servants’ basic salaries and annual increments across grades, as well as the raising of the PAYE tax threshold from Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 150,000. He said the Government would recruit 30,000 graduates through competitive examinations to fill vacancies, including attention to teacher service vacancies. He also referred to phased measures to address pension anomalies for retirees, principals and teachers, with Rs. 10,000 million allocated, and noted a proposal for a subcommittee to examine unresolved public service issues. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi JJB AI summary Hon. Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi defended the allocations under the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, arguing that they are necessary to develop the public-sector human resource base needed to implement the Government’s programme, including salary increases, training, and new recruitment to replace retirees. He said Local Authorities and Provincial Councils must be strengthened, citing weakened finances, past mismanagement, and unproductive capital projects in some councils as reasons for central support for rural infrastructure and local development. He also criticized the Opposition’s focus and said the Budget’s provisions are intended to rebuild state institutions across central, provincial, and local levels. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. M.A.M. Thahir ACMC AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir criticized the limited development allocations to Ampara Divisional Secretariats, arguing that Rs. 3.2 million per division is inadequate for meaningful local infrastructure work. He questioned the Government’s commitments on reducing prices and ensuring clean governance, citing an alleged unpaid political meeting at the Nintavur Pradeshiya Sabha auditorium and asking for an explanation. He urged the Government to hold Provincial Council elections, protect powers under the 13th Amendment, continue the “Urumaya” title deed programme, increase local and Eastern Province funding, and seek a united, consultative solution to the Kalmunai North/South issue rather than politically driven division. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Dayasiri Jayasekara criticized the Government for raising expectations on public sector salary increases and then blaming the Opposition for resulting unrest, including recent disputes over fuel distributor commissions and health sector allowances. He urged the Government to engage unions and affected groups transparently, particularly over reductions to medical service allowances. He also proposed absorbing graduate minor-grade employees into Development Officer vacancies through provincial mechanisms and recruiting additional Sri Lanka Administrative Service candidates by lowering the exam cut-off to fill vacancies. He highlighted long-standing salary anomalies affecting management service officers, arguing that recent selective revisions, including for Grama Niladharis, have worsened disparities in the public service salary structure. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →
- 4 March 2025 The Hon. Dinindu Saman AI summary Hon. Dinindu Saman defended the Government’s allocations for public administration, emphasizing that the new salary increase for public servants was granted without trade union agitation and despite fiscal constraints. He argued that the increase strengthens basic salaries rather than relying on temporary allowances, raises annual increments by 80 percent, and increases the disaster loan limit from Rs. 250,000 to Rs. 400,000. He criticized Opposition parties and some trade unions for misrepresenting the April salary changes in relation to Circular 03/2024 and urged public servants to support the Government’s broader programme to build an efficient public service. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Read →