New Budget to incorporate Mahinda Chintana proposals

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

President Mahinda Rajapakse's new budget will fully reflect the development plans and other welfare measures envisaged in his Mahinda Chintana policy programme, President's Economic Adviser Ajith Nivard Cabraal told the Daily News yesterday.

The new budget will also take into consideration all key factors in the pro-people programmes of the Mahinda Chintana, which will be the main focus of the new budget, he said.

"The President's new budget will be development-oriented. It will encourage investments in several key areas such as agriculture, fisheries, construction and small and medium scale industries. The budget will also encourage and give benefits to the business sector. Samurdhi beneficiaries will be encouraged to engage in activities that will help eradicate poverty. All these key areas will be given effective force in the new budget."

Cabraal said there are seven or eight identified areas where the Mahinda Chintana has laid emphasis on the uplift of agriculture. This will include provision of rural credit facilities, fertiliser, water, seeds and expertise in the agricultural field which will help farmers to expand their cultivations and obtain a good price for their products.

Policies and welfare measures which are not sufficiently included in previous budgets in line with Mahinda Chintana will be reflected in the new budget. Several items which were originally in the first budget consistent with Mahinda Chintana will be retained in the new budget.

Several key programmes which were not reflected in the last budget will be included in the new budget, he said.

President Rajapakse when he assumed duties underlined he would present a new budget to translate Mahinda Chintana into action.

Therefore the first year of the budget would reflect what has already been planned in Mahinda Chintana as a work plan for the country, he said.

"In that sense, there is a responsibility on the part of the President to commence work from the day he assumed office ensuring what he has promised to the people in Mahinda Chintana by way of new development plans, new directions and other public welfare measures. All these initiatives are included in the new budget."

Cabraal said initiatives set out by the previous budget in a favourable manner such as pay hikes for public servants and the increase of the Samurdhi subsidy will be maintained in President Rajapakse's new budget.

"There will be more new traditions in the new budget which are more favourable to the people while encouraging the country's economic growth through certain policies and practices introduced in the Mahinda Chintana."