Mahinda dismisses ‘jumbo Cabinet’ label; says no extra burden on Budget

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday dismissed the fresh round of appointments as akin to a jumbo Cabinet getting bigger and noted it would not place an extra burden on the Budget.

“In an overall sense, the size remains the same,” Rajapaksa told a meeting of editors prior to dinner at Temple Trees, in his first interaction with senior journalists in the New Year.

He also said funding for new ministries would be sourced within the existing Budget presented in November last year, suggesting a reallocation of resources.