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- 20 January 2026 The Hon. D.V. Chanaka SLPP AI summary D.V. Chanaka called on the Minister in charge of Police to expedite investigations and take legal action over an alleged assault at the “Charter’s Edge” hotel on 12 September, noting that no arrests had been made. He then challenged the Minister of Power over the coal procurement process, disputing official answers given to questions raised under Standing Order 27(2) and arguing that low-quality coal could damage boilers, reduce efficiency, increase pollution, and harm public health around Norochcholai. He alleged irregularities in the tender timeline, vessel allocations, and handling of the company Potentia, and invited the Minister to a public debate to substantiate claims of corruption in the coal tender. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Wijesiri Basnayake JJB AI summary Hon. Wijesiri Basnayake discussed amendments to the Aswesuma social protection payment scheme under the Welfare Benefits Act, noting extensions of benefits for vulnerable households to June 2026 and for poor and extreme poor households to June 2027, while disability, kidney patient, and elderly benefits continue. He outlined the scheme’s categories and payment levels, and linked the changes to continuing hardship after Cyclone “Didva.” He acknowledged concerns about targeting errors, including exclusion of eligible poor households and inclusion of ineligible households, and said a Technical Committee is revising indicators and weights, after which field verification and an updated poverty registry will be used to improve benefit delivery. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva stated that bank funds belong to the people rather than the Government. He noted that the Government had spent Rs. 27 billion on the relevant Department, with Rs. 22 billion allocated to salaries. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage clarified that his earlier reference to the Samurdhi Development Department concerned funds mobilized through Samurdhi institutions, not solely Treasury allocations. He stated that Rs. 60 billion this year is being deployed through Samurdhi Department funds, including Samurdhi-affiliated banks and dedicated funds, alongside about Rs. 2 billion from the ADB and World Bank. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva argued that limited public funds should be directed toward priorities such as English education, teacher training, and technology. He urged that the private sector not be displaced in areas where it can provide services, and that public spending focus on public goods. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Hon. Harsha de Silva supported extending Aswesuma payments but argued that the programme, originally introduced as a temporary crisis-response measure, should not continue without correcting serious targeting errors identified in research tabled in Parliament. He urged the Government to revise and properly weight eligibility indicators, pilot the revised system with at least 3,000 households before a national rollout, and conduct an independent evaluation of the Samurdhi Development Department’s spending and value for money. He also called for the immediate appointment of an Auditor-General, raised concerns about the proposed “Praja Shakthi” structure, and linked poverty policy to broader needs in education reform, teacher training, technology investment, and preparing for AI-related labour market changes. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage outlined revisions to Aswesuma and related social protection benefits, stating that disability allowances are being raised to Rs. 10,000 for 200,000 persons and chronic kidney disease beneficiaries increased from 50,000 to 70,000. He said around 1.92 million people in four welfare categories are receiving support, with benefit increases to Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 17,500, and that the programme is intended to continue until June 2027. He also described government empowerment measures, including grants, financial literacy training, concessional Samurdhi loans at 4 per cent, and allocations of Rs. 60 billion in 2026 to support micro and small enterprises. He rejected Opposition criticism of education reforms and said the reforms are structured around five pillars, including curriculum, human resources, facilities, and assessment changes. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage - Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment JJB AI summary Moved approval of the amended Gazette for the Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme under the Welfare Benefits Act, No. 24 of 2002, noting Cabinet approval and its role as the main welfare programme for low-income and vulnerable groups. He explained that benefits are allocated under the Poor, Extremely Poor, Vulnerable and Transitional categories using Welfare Benefits Board criteria based on the 2019 Household Income and Expenditure Survey, and addressed concerns over beneficiary selection. The amendment extends payments for groups otherwise due to end in December 2025 until June 2026, citing the impact of the November cyclonic disaster, and also covers assistance for persons with disabilities, renal disease patients and elderly recipients. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake raised a Standing Order 27(2) question on tourism earnings, noting that 2025 arrivals exceeded 2.36 million while per-tourist spending fell and foreign exchange inflows to the banking system appeared weak. He asked the Government to explain the decline in per capita spend, quantify tourism foreign exchange converted through licensed banks, reconcile this with SLTDA earnings figures, and address alleged leakage through offshore booking platforms, overseas card settlements, and unregistered accommodation providers. He further questioned weak enforcement of registration, banking-channel settlement and foreign exchange repatriation requirements, and asked when a tourism policy linked to earnings, reserve accumulation and tax compliance would be presented to Parliament. Question under Standing Order 27(2): Tourism Performance and Deferral of Ravi Karunanayake Question Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB AI summary The Hon. Sajith Premadasa asked whether a forensic audit would be conducted and whether its report would be tabled in Parliament. Question under Standing Order 27(2): Coal Supply Tender Process Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Kumara Jayakody JJB AI summary Hon. Kumara Jayakody stated that the matter had been addressed in his response to Question 3 and explained that the procurement was a prequalification tender in which 20 entities were prequalified and 10 submitted bids. He said the procurement committee vetted the criteria on coal supply experience and volume, and that any dissatisfied bidder could have appealed to the Appeal Board, but none did. He requested that any evidence of irregularity be presented, noting that even the previous long-time supplier, Potencia FZ LLC, had not challenged the process. Question under Standing Order 27(2): Coal Supply Tender Process Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB AI summary Sajith Premadasa questioned changes in the coal import tender process and timing, including how the procurement schedule came to bypass the monsoon window. Citing reported admissions of shortcomings by officials before a Sectoral Oversight Committee, he proposed a full forensic audit and requested that its report be presented to Parliament. Question under Standing Order 27(2): Coal Supply Tender Process Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB AI summary Sajith Premadasa asked the Minister to identify the “certain MP” referred to and stated that Opposition MPs had no involvement in coal procurement. He said he raised the matter due to public concern and sought clarification on whether the awarded supplier met tender eligibility criteria, including prior experience supplying at least one million metric tonnes of coal with 5,900 kcal/kg GCV. He also questioned why the normal April tender timeline had been departed from. Question under Standing Order 27(2): Coal Supply Tender Process Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Kumara Jayakody - Minister of Energy JJB AI summary The Minister of Energy responded to questions on the 2025–2026 coal procurement, stating that the tender followed limited competitive bidding among prequalified suppliers, with NPC consent to a shortened timeline later extended to 28 days, and that no bidder had appealed. He said technical and financial criteria were unchanged from the previous tender, ten bids were received, and the selected supplier was registered and qualified to supply Norochcholai, while rejecting allegations of governance failure or risk to energy security. He noted that the first shipment failed to meet the required Gross Calorific Value and would attract double penalties of about USD 2.08 million, while subsequent testing and enforcement were proceeding, and announced steps to establish an accredited coal-testing laboratory in Sri Lanka through SLSI. Question under Standing Order 27(2): Coal Supply Tender Process Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB AI summary Under Standing Order 27(2), Sajith Premadasa raised questions on alleged failures and lack of transparency in the coal procurement process for the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Power Plant. He asked the relevant Minister to explain the timing and conduct of the tender, the reported reduction of the bidding period, changes to technical and financial eligibility criteria, bid evaluation details, and the selected supplier’s experience. He also questioned reports of substandard coal, delayed testing, increased coal consumption, possible losses exceeding Rs. 10 billion, and risks to coal stocks, boiler performance, efficiency, and plant life. Question under Standing Order 27(2): Coal Supply Tender Process Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage stated that operational problems in the Samurdhi banking system stem from its long reliance on manual processes since the Samurdhi Authority was established in 1995. He said about 450 banks have shifted to computerized operations over the past year, and the Government is working to integrate 1,097 banks and 335 societies into a single digital network to address remaining issues. Oral Question: Pension Entitlements and Samurdhi Banks Computerization (Q.67/2026) Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Lal Premanath JJB AI summary Hon. Lal Premanath raised concerns about delays in computerizing Samurdhi Banks and the continued reliance on handwritten, paper-based transactions. He stated that beneficiaries face difficulties such as not receiving funds, being unable to withdraw savings, or obtain loans, and asked whether an interim SMS-based programme could be introduced to inform and guide them. Oral Question: Pension Entitlements and Samurdhi Banks Computerization (Q.67/2026) Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage JJB AI summary Over 25,000 staff serve in the Samurdhi Development Department, but the issue raised concerns a small group lacking minimum educational qualifications. The Minister said discussions were held with pensions and ministry officials, and that an interim allowance cannot be granted under current regulations without Cabinet approval, so a Cabinet Paper is being prepared. He added that other issues related to converting employees from EPF contributions to pension entitlements during the transition from the Samurdhi Authority to the Department have now been resolved. Oral Question: Pension Entitlements and Samurdhi Banks Computerization (Q.67/2026) Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Lal Premanath JJB AI summary Hon. Lal Premanath raised a supplementary question regarding long-standing pension issues faced by Samurdhi Development Officers, including some recruited after exceeding the usual age limit following a past political upheaval. Acknowledging current fiscal constraints, he asked whether the Government could provide an interim allowance or other relief until their pensions are regularized. Oral Question: Pension Entitlements and Samurdhi Banks Computerization (Q.67/2026) Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage - Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment JJB AI summary The Minister said many pension entitlement and arrears issues relating to Samurdhi Development Officers had been resolved, but officers recruited in 1995 without minimum educational qualifications remained an issue, and steps were being taken, including individual Cabinet decisions and termination of service for those continuing beyond age 55 without qualifications. He stated that promotion schemes for Samurdhi Development Officers and Manager-grade officers had been prepared, with the Management Assistant scheme approved by Cabinet in December 2025 and referred to the Public Service Commission. He also said Samurdhi banks had been brought under Government audit through an amendment to the Act, internal audit and investigation capacity had been strengthened, and procurement and Cabinet action had begun to computerize all Samurdhi banks on a unified digital network. Oral Question: Pension Entitlements and Samurdhi Banks Computerization (Q.67/2026) Read →