VoA allocates separate funding for State Ministries

Thursday, 27 August 2020 03:29 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Over Rs. 100 b will go to State Ministries in keeping with President’s pledge to give them financial responsibility
State Ministry Secretaries will be CAO for institutions under their Ministry
Rs 1.7 trillion VoA to be taken up for debate today and tomorrow
Resolution to raise Rs. 750 b through Treasury Bills also to be debated

By Chandani Kirinde

Separate funding has been allocated to State Ministries under the Rs 1.7 trillion (Rs. 1700 billion) Vote on Account (VoA) which will be taken up for debate in Parliament today.

In the estimates of the VoA placed on the Order Paper of Parliament, separate allocations have been listed for the 40 State Ministries, amounting over Rs 100 billion in keeping with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s pledge to give more financial responsibility to junior Ministers.

The President, in his Policy Statement to the House on Thursday, said the measure is to enable State Ministers to fulfil their respective duties and responsibilities without any hindrance, as the monetary provisions required to implement development projects and financial responsibility are directly placed with them.

The Duties and Function Gazette issued by the President also stated that allocation of funds to the Cabinet Ministries and the State Ministries will be made separately, and the Secretary to each State Ministry will be the Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) for the departments, State corporations, and statutory institutions under each State Ministry.

The VoA to cover state expenditure from 1 September to 31 December 2020 will be debated for two days. This year has been unique, with three VoAs but no Budget, due to the delay in holding polls because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

A Resolution to borrow a sum not exceeding Rs. 750 billion through issue of Treasury Bills under Section 2 (1) of the Local Treasury Bills Ordinance will also be debated along with the VoA Resolution.

Parliament sittings today and tomorrow will be held from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm, in keeping with the Party Leaders’ meeting held last week.

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