Maithri's interim budget slashes Rs.90 b reserved for President's upkeep

 

Thursday, 29 January 2015 

The Interim Budget of the new government of President Maithripala Sirisena has saved the country a whopping Rs. 90 billion from an annual budget of Rs.95 billion set aside for maintenance of the former Executive President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Thus to maintain new President Maithripala Sirisena, the country would spend only Rs.2.5 billion under the new Interim Budget announced by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake in Parliament today (January 29).

During Mahinda Rajapaksa's term the Budget allocation for him was Rs.6 billion, 7 billion, 50 billion, 50 billion, 59 billion, 62 billion and 100 billion for the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

The new Budget will also give public sector employees a monthly salary increase of Rs.10,000 with Rs. 5000 to be paid from February 1 and the balance Rs. 5000 from June.

By slashing the Cabinet to 40 Ministers the country will also be able to save Rs.2.5 billion a year.

It has also been proposed to increase the salaries of private sector employee by Rs.2500.

Pensioners will also be entitled to a Rs.1000 monthly increase from April while Samurdhi (poverty alleviation) recepients will have their assistance increased by a hundred fold.

The previous Budget of Mahinda Rajapaksa had a deficit of Rs.521 billion.
President Maithripala Sirisena was present in Parliament today (January 29) when the Budget was read out.

- SLM -