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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that this year’s budget will be prepared with the objective of involving every segment of the population in the country’s economic processes.
The President expressed these views during a preliminary discussion held on Tuesday (21) at the Presidential Secretariat with officials from the Ministry of Finance regarding the formulation of the 2025 budget.
The discussion focused on the importance of establishing an efficient and productive economic system, emphasising the necessity of strengthening public transportation and optimising the utilisation of decentralised funds allocated to Members of Parliament (MPs).
The meeting explored government intervention and the steps needed to improve public transportation by providing essential facilities.
It was noted that in previous administrations, significant amounts of money were allocated to decentralised funds, but these funds were not directed toward productive projects. Attention was drawn to the need for allocating these resources toward national projects to ensure their effective utilisation.
Discussions were also held on regulating the rice stocks held by producers and ensuring that loans provided to rice millers for purchasing paddy are repaid within a year.
The President emphasised the importance of extending the benefits of urban-centred economic activities to the grassroots level and actively involving them in the process, highlighting the need for an economic plan that ensures equitable distribution across all provinces.
He also pointed out deficiencies in the existing welfare distribution mechanisms, stressing the need to identify the genuinely deserving communities and expedite the delivery process to ensure timely support.
The meeting was attended by the Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando; Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Mahinda Siriwardana; Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Russell Aponsu; and Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, A.K. Seneviratne, along with other officials.
