Govt. to present Budget 2023 on 14 Nov.

• Vote slated for 8 December

The Appropriation Bill for the fiscal year 2023 will be tabled in the Parliament for the second reading on 14 November, the Committee on Parliamentary Business decided yesterday.

The committee met under the chairmanship of Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies, will deliver the opening speech of the second reading of the Appropriation Bill to Parliament at 1.30 p.m. on 14 November.

As per the draft of the Appropriation Bill for 2023, the total expenditure estimated for 2023 is a staggering Rs. 7.8 trillion as against Rs. 6.1 trillion for 2022.

 Recurrent Expenditure has been estimated at Rs. 4.6 trillion, while total Capital Expenditure at Rs. 3.24 trillion. The gross borrowing requirement is estimated at Rs. 4.43 trillion.

The debate on the second reading of the Appropriation Bill will begin on 15 November and the vote on the second reading has been scheduled for 22 November at 5.00 p.m.

The debate on the committee stage of the Appropriation Bill will begin on 23 November and the vote was decided to be held on 08 December at 5.00 p.m.

Accordingly, Parliament will meet on all other days of the week except on Sundays and Poya Days, from 14 November to 8 December.

It is decided not to allot time for Questions for Oral Answers on the days of the Budget debate, Parliament Secretary General Dhammika Dasanayake said.

Hence, on 9 December from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., a total of 50 questions are set aside for Questions for Oral Answers. 

The Parliament will convene on 8 November and on that day, from 10.30 a.m. to 5.00 a.m., according to the motion brought by the National People’s Power (NPP), the Motion at the Adjournment Time by the Opposition regarding the current situation of the country is scheduled to be held.

On 9 November, from 10.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., Order under the Value-Added Tax (VAT) Act, two notifications under the Excise Ordinance, Order under the Finance Act, Regulations under the Foreign Exchange Act are scheduled to be passed.

On 10 November, from 10.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., the Small Claims Courts’ Procedure, Small Claims Courts’ Procedure, Small Claims Courts’ Procedure, Civil Procedure Code (Amendment), Kandyan Marriage and Divorce (Amendment), Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment), Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment), Children and Young Persons (Amendment), Dangerous Animals (Amendment) and Rules under the Prisons Ordinance, three regulations under the Fisheries and the Aquatic Resources Act to be presented by the Minister of Justice is scheduled for its Second Reading.

Parliament will convene on the aforementioned three days at 9.30 a.m. and time has been allotted until 10.30 a.m. for Questions for Oral Answers. On the aforementioned days, the time period from 5.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. is reserved for Questions and Motions at the Adjournment Time.

Parliament will convene on 11 November  at 9.30 a.m. and until 5.30 p.m. as the Votes of Condolence for the late parliamentarians Chandrakumara Wijeya Gunawardane, T.B. Ekanayake, K. Thurairetnasingam and Ven. Baddegama Samitha Thero is scheduled to be taken up.