Cabinet green lights Appropriation Bill for 2024

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• State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says Govt. to present Bill in second week of October 
• Budget 2024 debate will commence from 14 November to 13 December 
• Says Budget focus on health, education and welfare 

State Minister  Ranjith Siyambalapitiya

The Government yesterday announced that the Appropriation Bill for 2024 will be presented in Parliament in November following the Cabinet received on Monday. 

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies Minister has presented the proposal to the Cabinet to publish the draft Bill which got clearance from the Attorney General in the Government Gazette notification and subsequently to table the same in the Parliament for its approval.  

Separately, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said that the Appropriation Bill for 2024 will be submitted to the Parliament in the second week of October and the 2024 Budget speech will commence on 13 November 2023. 

He also said that the debate on the second reading of the Appropriation Bill will be held from 14 to 21 November, while the vote on the second reading will be held on 21 November 2023.  The debate on the third reading will be held from 22 November to 13 December 2023, the Siyambalapitiya added. 

Stating that the Government has paid more attention to health, education and welfare expenditure in the 2024 Budget, the State Minister revealed that the welfare expenditure which was about Rs. 65 billion has increased to about Rs. 185 billion.