Ranil unhappy with Budget allocations

• Says Govt. has slashed funds to Health Ministry and focused more on new Defence Ministry
• Calls on Govt. not to eliminate middle-class from economy 
• Urges Govt. to obtain IMF bailout to stabilise economy
• Insists to adhere to UNHRC to win international market confidence and to retain EU GSP+

UNP MP Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said the 2022 Budget allocations have been focused only few ministries and has not addressed the current requirements.

Speaking during the debate on the second reading of the 2022 Budget in Parliament, former Prime Minister Wickremesinghe claimed that Government has slashed the Budget allocations for the Health Ministry, overlooking the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Government allocated Rs.321 billion this year for Health Ministry and it has been reduced to Rs. 234 billion in the 2022 Budget. How is the Government going to handle any emergency health situation? Much of the funds have been allocated for the Akuregoda Defence Ministry. To whom are we giving priority to?” he claimed.

He also said of the total Budget 74% is allocated for Finance Ministry, Local Government and Defence Ministry.

“We somehow managed the economy and handed it over in 2019, but due to the continuous mismanagement the Government is now eliminating the middle-income earners from the economy,” he pointed out. He said the consumer requirements have changed drastically from the 1970’s queue era, adding that the 21st century expenditure requirements and attitude of the youth cannot be matched to those days. Wickremesinghe also said the Government should seek the International Monetary Fund (IMF) financial assistance to overcome the current economic crisis.

Given the foreign currency crisis, he also said Sri Lanka needs the European Union’s GSP+ scheme to boost exports and called on the Government to adhere to the United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC) than going against it.

“We need to stabilise the economy and win the international market confidence,” he pointed out.