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| Thursday, 22 July 2004 |
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| Finance Minister announces salary rise at first UPFA budget by Ranil Wijayapala and Bharatha Malawaraarachchi Finance Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama told the Parliament yesterday that the salaries of the government employees will be increased from the inaugural budget of government as pledged by the Freedom Alliance at the election campaign. He said a committee has already been appointed to review the recommendations presented by the Tissa Devendra Salaries Commission in order to facilitate the process. Speaking at the adjournment debate on the development programmes of the Government yesterday at the Parliament the Minister said the Freedom Alliance Government will also take steps to give more concessions to the public from the inaugural budget of the Freedom Alliance. The Minister said the Government has already fulfilled its pledge for the unemployed graduates of the country by taking steps to provide employment for 27,000 graduates from next month. "This is the first instance in the post independent Sri Lanka any government providing such a large number of employments", the Minister added. The Minister also said that the Government was making all efforts to control the increasing cost of essential items unlike the UNF Government which directly put the burden of increased prices in the world market on general public. "We are following a pro-growth and pro-poor economic policy unlike the UNP which concentrated only on economic growth disregarding the poor", the Minister added. He said the Government was making its full efforts to not dump the burden of increasing oil prices in the world market directly on people after exploring possibilities of purchasing petrolium products at subsidised rate from friendly governments. The Indian Government has already provided a grant of US dollar 150 million to purchase petroleum products. "I am ready to explore the possibilities of purchasing petroleum products from OPEC after meeting them in the next week", the Minister added. "That is the difference between the Freedom Alliance Government and the UNF Government. The UNF leader did not make any attempt to explore such possibilities", Dr. Amunugama added. Minister Amunugama also refuted the allegations by the UNP that foreign reserves of the country now being decrease devaluing the rupee against the US dollar. "We have taken steps to strengthen our foreign reserves to a strong position and to keep the US dollar at Rs. 102 without allowing to increase its value further", the Minister said. |
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