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- 21 January 2026 The Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera JJB AI summary Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera stated that payments for “transitional” welfare beneficiaries, which were due to end on 31 December 2025, have been extended to 30 June 2026 through a proposal under the Welfare Benefits Act approved by Parliament. He said fresh applications were invited after the Government took office, with over 800,000 applicants and about 287,000 selected in the second round, while further beneficiaries will be added after bank account openings and the consideration of appeals and objections. Oral Question No. 6 (1222/2025) - Aswesuma welfare benefits Read →
- 21 January 2026 The Hon. Suranga Rathnayaka SJB AI summary Asked whether the Aswesuma benefits for recipients enrolled in 2022 under the three-year transitional category, which ended in December, would be extended. He also sought clarification on whether the Government had selected any new beneficiaries since taking office and, if so, how many. Oral Question No. 6 (1222/2025) - Aswesuma welfare benefits Read →
- 21 January 2026 The Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera - Deputy Minister of Economic Development JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister, responding on behalf of the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Minister, stated that there are 1,657,621 current “Aswesuma” beneficiaries and that all approved eligible beneficiaries will continue to be paid. He said additional applicants are still being processed, including cases pending Divisional Secretariat verification, Welfare Benefits Board approval, bank account opening, and final decisions on appeals and objections. Payments to eligible persons in these categories are expected to begin from 28 January 2026 once approvals are completed and bank details are available. Oral Question No. 6 (1222/2025) - Aswesuma welfare benefits Read →
- 21 January 2026 The Hon. Suranga Rathnayaka SJB AI summary Hon. Suranga Rathnayaka asked the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development for details on the current number of “Aswesuma” beneficiaries and whether all eligible persons are receiving the benefit. He further sought clarification on steps to include eligible persons not yet receiving the benefit, including the date from which payments would be provided, or reasons if such action is not being taken. Oral Question No. 6 (1222/2025) - Aswesuma welfare benefits Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera - Deputy Minister of Defence JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister said relief measures following the recent cyclone are being implemented under Disaster Management Centre procedures, with compensation for fully and partially damaged houses governed by Budget Circular No. 08/2025 and Defence Ministry guidelines issued in January 2025. He stated that funds have been released to District Secretaries for rental support and reconstruction assistance, with land identification, valuation, agreements, and NBRO technical oversight forming part of the process. He also outlined a Rs. 10,000 million working capital loan scheme at 3 percent interest through State banks for affected MSMEs and larger enterprises, subject to local administrative certification, and noted Central Bank-directed loan moratoria of three to six months for affected borrowers. Adjournment Debate - "8960" Cyclone Relief Measures and Constitutional Point of Order Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. R. G. Wijerathna JJB AI summary R. G. Wijerathna raised an Adjournment question on post-cyclone relief following the “896” cyclone, asking what arrangements will be made for compensation for partially and totally damaged houses, relief for affected businesses and its timeline, and attention to insurance compensation and loan relief for damaged property. He defended the Government’s initial disaster response and contrasted it with delays in past landslide resettlement cases in Nuwara Eliya, while criticizing Opposition allegations. He cited National Audit Office findings on the Disaster Management Centre, including unutilized funds, incomplete legal transfer of its headquarters, inactive early warning towers, delayed amendments to the Disaster Management Act, and incomplete multi-hazard profiling, arguing these showed longstanding administrative weaknesses in disaster management. Adjournment Debate - "8960" Cyclone Relief Measures and Constitutional Point of Order Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera - Deputy Minister of Economic Development JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Nishantha Jayaweera outlined the Aswesuma welfare payment categories under the Welfare Benefits Act, noting recent increases for poor and severely poor beneficiaries and continued support for elderly persons, persons with disabilities and CKD patients. He said the immediate proposal is to extend for six months the Rs. 5,000 monthly allowance for the vulnerable group, which ended on 31 December 2025, in view of the impacts of Cyclone “Diththa.” He stated that the Government aims to reduce dependency by empowering beneficiaries through economic activity, supported by annual re-registration and an electronic data system to identify eligible recipients and ensure timely payments. He also briefly defended the Government’s education reforms against Opposition criticism. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. R.M. Samantha Ranasinghe JJB AI summary Hon. R.M. Samantha Ranasinghe defended the Aswesuma welfare payment scheme, linking it to the Government’s wider plan to eradicate rural poverty by 2030 and criticizing the Opposition’s record on poverty. He said Budget 2026 allocates Rs. 240 billion for Aswesuma, supporting 1.9 million poor people and 1.27 million elderly persons, disabled persons and CKD patients, while also funding school supplies, shoe vouchers and meals for low-income students. He stated that the programme would extend across about 14,000 GN divisions and be paired with measures to build a production economy, rural housing and infrastructure, MSME support after the “Diththa” cyclone, wage increases and rural livelihood development. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Nandana Pathmakumara JJB AI summary Hon. Nandana Pathmakumara defended the Government’s Aswesuma welfare programme, arguing that prices have fallen, lawful industries are developing, taxes are being collected from evaders, and public servants have received significant salary relief. He said poverty stems from long-standing failures in state intervention, protection for the elderly and disabled, education, health, housing, and security, and cited measures such as increasing the elderly allowance to Rs. 5,000 and allocating major funding for health. He also stated that the 2026 Budget supports rural roads, housing, self-employment, and industries, and argued that education reforms are necessary to reduce poverty. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Darmapriya Wijesinghe JJB AI summary Hon. Darmapriya Wijesinghe supported extending components of the Aswesuma welfare payment scheme, stating that it was designed as a time-bound programme requiring annual reviews and corrections unlike Janasaviya and Samurdhi. He said reviews were not conducted in 2023 or 2024, and that planned 2025 fieldwork was delayed by the “Diththa” cyclone, necessitating a six-month extension of benefits due to end on 31 December 2025 to complete data collection and corrections. He also criticized the Opposition for focusing on attacks over education reforms and challenged them to formally submit any proposed no-confidence motion. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Amila Prasad SJB AI summary Hon. Amila Prasad argued that welfare and social protection are necessary but must be financed sustainably through revenue, productive investment and systemic reform rather than continued borrowing. He proposed reviving a national disaster insurance scheme, creating contributory or dedicated funds for elderly pensions, and changing laws to reduce long-term Treasury dependence. He also urged integrating low-income and disabled beneficiaries into productive community roles and expanding technical and vocational training to help move households from welfare dependence to higher incomes. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva JJB AI summary Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva supported the Aswesuma amendment, stating that the Government is extending benefits by six months and increasing assistance as part of a welfare-oriented programme to improve living standards. He said welfare should be timely and targeted, citing the increase in the chronic kidney disease allowance from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 10,000, while also emphasizing that beneficiaries should be empowered rather than made dependent. He also referred to a proposed post-cyclone “Diththa” reconstruction package intended to rebuild homes to better standards, and criticized identity-based and protest-driven politics. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. R.M. Jayawardhana - Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister supported extending and amending the Aswesuma welfare benefit scheme, noting that 3.7 million applications indicate continuing demand despite the programme originally being designed to end by 2026. He said current eligibility criteria have excluded some needy households while benefiting others less in need, and proposed revised criteria, increased payments, a six-month extension, and stronger review committees to better target assistance by mid-year. He also linked the need for welfare support to poverty, rural educational disadvantage, and the aftermath of the economic crisis, while citing lower inflation and growth in 2025 as part of the Government’s stabilization context. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe SLMC AI summary Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe said the Aswesuma welfare programme has benefited many poor people, but alleged that last year’s data collection process excluded many eligible poor households while including affluent persons, particularly in the Eastern Province and Ampara. He urged that beneficiary selection be revised through a committee involving District and Divisional Secretaries and local representatives. He also criticized the “Praja Shakthi” movement as a partisan and non-transparent village-level initiative, and tabled an urgent circular issued by the Welfare Benefits Board. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co-operative Development JJB AI summary The Minister sought approval to extend the Aswesuma Welfare Benefits Payment Scheme for six months for around 500,000 beneficiaries, while outlining related housing and community development initiatives, including a target of 16,000 houses and wider inter-ministerial plans for 50,000 houses. He highlighted government interventions to reduce prices of essential goods, citing reductions in onions, potatoes, sugar, milk powder, wheat flour and rice prices, alongside social protection measures. He defended ongoing education reforms based on curriculum, infrastructure, human resources, monitoring and evaluation, and public awareness, rejecting Opposition criticism over disputed content in a Grade 6 English module and calling for any no-confidence motion to be formally tabled. He said the reforms would proceed from Grade 1 with identified lapses corrected and public communication strengthened. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. M.A.M. Thahir ACMC AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir argued that the Aswesuma welfare scheme continues to exclude many eligible households due to flawed criteria, while rising costs make current cash benefits inadequate. He called for reduced prices of essentials and utilities, revised eligibility rules for migrant families, fisherfolk, small self-employed persons and poor households with certain assets, and consideration of in-kind support through cooperatives. He also urged the return of seized agricultural lands in the North and East, better use of local resources to create employment, and urgent action to address disrupted public health services in the East. He supported education reform but demanded the removal of religiously objectionable sexually explicit content from proposed materials. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Muneer Mulaffer - Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Muneer Mulaffer rejected Opposition claims that officials were responsible for delays to the Central Expressway, arguing that contractor non-payment arose from the previous Government’s bankruptcy and mismanagement. He defended the Government’s poverty relief efforts, particularly Aswesuma, and said adjustments would be made to reflect disaster impacts while ensuring responsible use of public funds. He also linked poverty alleviation to education reform, criticizing opposition to reforms by politically motivated actors and stressing the need for education to help break the cycle of poverty. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardhana NDF AI summary Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardhana said he would support the Aswesuma payment scheme if it is properly delivered and expanded to eligible poor families, but questioned claims that poverty could be eliminated within five years amid high living costs. He urged the Government to fulfil election promises by reducing fuel prices, commodity prices and electricity tariffs, citing higher-than-expected revenue from vehicle imports as a source for relief. He also called for action against wastage and delays in the Central Expressway project, protection for officials handling disaster compensation, and safeguards for livelihoods such as traditional stake-net fisheries alongside welfare payments. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Sunil Biyanwila JJB AI summary Hon. Sunil Biyanwila supported amendments to the Aswesuma payment scheme, arguing that expanded social assistance was necessary after the economic crisis, fertilizer policy failures, and hardship faced by low-income groups. He said the Government had increased elderly, kidney patient, schoolchild, and disaster-related assistance while seeking to reduce unnecessary expenditure and redirect resources to vulnerable people. He emphasized that relief should not be permanent and linked the policy to rebuilding a productive economy through agriculture, tourism, new industries, and measures such as a Cinnamon Development Department. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Thilanka U. Gamage JJB AI summary Hon. Thilanka U. Gamage supported amendments extending Aswesuma benefits, citing the impact of the “Didva” cyclone and continuing hardship, with poor and extreme poor categories extended to June 2027 and vulnerable beneficiaries to June 2026. He said the scheme remains temporary but should not end abruptly, and called for linking beneficiaries to production, credit, small industries, and poverty-eradication programmes while continuing support for schoolchildren, persons with disabilities, and the elderly. He also defended education reforms as central to reducing poverty, invited the Opposition to debate them, and referred to the Praja Shakthi National Programme as part of a five-year plan to build capacity and reduce rural poverty. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →