Govt. moves Rs. 11 b supplementary estimate

By Ashwin Hemmathagama – Our Lobby Correspondent

The Government moved a supplementary estimate yesterday in Parliament totalling Rs. 11,008 million to cover a series of allocations made for both capital and recurrent expenses incurred during the first 10 months of this year.

Among the key highlights of the motion, the Ministry of Agriculture was provided with Rs. 66,040,000 for additional allocations provided for paying the ministry’s rents and local taxes, a sum of Rs. 1,672,900,000 paid by the Department of Treasury Operations to meet the shortfall of the provision for loan flotation expenses, a sum of Rs. 10 million by the Southern Provincial Council to meet the expenditure made by the Ridiyagama Detention Centre for rehabilitating the homeless and an additional Rs. 9 million to procure an ambulance and two mini-trucks. 

The estimate also seeks approval for a sum of Rs. 30 million to construct a memorial in honour of Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera as per a Cabinet decision dated 22 August 2017.

Supplementary allocations are provided in the terms of Clause 6(1) of the Appropriation Act. These allocations are provided strictly for the purposes specified in approved Budget estimates to relevant spending agencies having carried out a needs assessment, giving consideration to relevant financial regulations and approved procedures. However, the supplementary provisions do not change the approved total expenditure limits of the annual estimate approved by Parliament.