Sri Lanka’s parliament passed the maiden budget of the National Peoples Power administration with 155 members of the 225-member assembly voting in favour and 46 against. Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake said the opposition described the fiscal plan as a Ranil budget, IMF budget and a neo-liberal budget, but the NPP had delivered around 80 per cent of its election promises.
Deputy Finance Minister Anil Jayantha said the budget would increase capital spending. Meanwhile, Opposition legislator Harsha de Silva said the budget had many good aspects and continued many of the past policies but it was doubtful whether it conformed to the promises made to the people or the professed ideology of the NPP. De Silva also raised concerns over expectations of revenue from vehicles given the high rates.
