Parliament begins debate on Budget 2015

Monday, 27 October 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Ashwin Hemmathagama Our Lobby Correspondent The second reading of the Appropriation Bill 2015 commenced on Saturday with Opposition members criticising the Government of pledging what was undeliverable, aiming at an election. Opening the debate, UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake charged the ruling party was misleading the public with a “game of numbers” which was not visible to the masses.

“We are happy that you could not deliver a proper budget; this is nothing more than a faux. The Budget debate shouldn’t be a game of numbers. We can show you how the Government has reduced what the Government itself imposed during the recent past. According to what was tabled in this House on Budget day, the Government plans to spend Rs. 3,155 billion next year regardless of its income getting limited to Rs. 1,689 billion. So the deficit will be Rs. 1,466 billion. Out of the total expenditure, 53% will be spent on debt servicing. We understand that the Government has promised what is undeliverable with an election just around the corner. What you have promised will fall on our shoulders and the UNP will have to deliver the impossible,” asserted Karunanayake. “In 2004 when UNP the left the Government there were 1.2 million State employees according to the Central Bank Annual Report. But the Government talks about a scenario where the UNP reduced the number of State employees to 300,000. Today there are 1,282,917 State employees. The Government was unable to create new employment opportunities but fill in the posts vacated by retirement,” he added. Joining the debate from the Government, Minister of International Monetary Co-operation and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Sarath Amunugama listed what was provided in 2014. “All Sri Lankans understand and appreciate the benefits given in Budget 2015. It includes concessions and development plans for all stakeholders, including the trade unions, exporters and manufacturers. The President has provided them all with development plans. We have started reducing the budget deficit. In 2011 the Budget deficit was 9.9%. It was reduced to 6.4% in 2012. From there it was brought down to 5.9 in 2013 and to 5% in 2014. We will reduce it to 4.6% in 2015. We expect 7.8% growth end of this year. Our foreign reserves are at $ 10 billion. We are in a better macroeconomic position, commended by foreign donors and rating agencies,” said Minister Amunugama. “We bank on the poor in Budget 2015; the 70% national workforce engaged in SMEs will look at increasing productivity and capacity building. We consulted them to prepare the Budget. We have allocated money for scholarships and enhancement of the education sector. We are trying to increase the quality of human capital. Please admit our contribution to the economy of the country. We have spent on irrigation and developed roads and electricity. Our next target is to provide pipe-borne drinking water to every household,” added Amunugama. JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti joining the debate said: “We feel the Budget 2015 is nothing more than a national bribe debate. It is aimed at robbing public votes in the next election. The Government is going to the extent of bankrupting the Treasury to be in power. A minimum salary increase expected was Rs. 10,000 despite the recommendation of Rs. 40,000 presented by the Government Census and Statistics Department. What you have done is add the existing allowances to the basic salary; the real increase will be less than Rs. 900.”