Sajith questions 2027 Budget without disclosure of 2026 Budget progress

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa queried the government in Parliament today ( Oct.22), asking how a new budget for 2027 can be presented without first disclosing the progress and implementation status of the 2026 budget.

Raising a question under Standing Order 27(2), the Opposition Leader pointed out that since the 2027 budget is scheduled to be presented in just three weeks on November 12, the government cannot delay providing answers regarding the progress of the 2026 budget proposals.

He emphasized that merely allocating provisions for budget proposals does not fulfill expected development and economic goals, and that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure these proposals are implemented effectively to yield results matching public expenditures.

The Opposition Leader demanded disclosure of the financial and physical progress, allocated funds, utilized expenditures and remaining balances under each ministry as of September 30, 2026. He also requested details on how domestic and foreign sources were allocated for special projects across the 28 fields outlined in the Main Public Investment Projects Summary issued by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development on November 7, 2025, along with their financial and physical progress as of September 30.

Further, the Opposition Leader called for action plans regarding programs scheduled to be completed or implemented during the remainder of 2026, the utilization of remaining provisions, expected expenditures, timelines, and the government’s approach toward unutilized funds at year-end. He asked for clarification on current progress concerning capital expenditure and microfinance given reports that state revenue rose to 75.5% of annual estimates within the first eight months according to Daily FT.

He also pressed the government for details on revisions or reallocations of provisions originally assigned to ministries in 2026, including the reasons, approval procedures, responsible officials, and the current progress and completion timelines of development projects funded by foreign aid or loans. Additionally, he requested targets for Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) in 2026, actual FDIs attracted as of September 30, and the primary economic sectors and source countries involved.

Concluding his queries, the Opposition Leader asked for information on the number of state-owned enterprises, their profit and loss figures during the first three quarters of 2026, steps taken to improve financial performance for loss-making entities, and estimated allocations and objectives if provisions are assigned to them in the 2027 budget. Stating that the opposition will not shape its questions according to the government’s or the Leader of the House’s preferences, he asserted that the 2027 budget speech cannot proceed without answers to these progress reports. (Newswire)

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