Defence tops the list:

PM presents Appropriation Bill

Uditha Kumarasinghe Irangika Range and Sandasen Marasinghe

The Appropriation Bill presented to Parliament by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake yesterday stated that the estimated expenditure of the Government for the financial year 2008 will be rupees nine hundred and twenty five thousand fifty seven million two hundred eighty four thousand.

The recurrent and capital expenditure for 21 Heads which includes the President, Prime Minister, the judges the Supreme Court and Parliament have been estimated at Rs. 9,187,937,000.

According to the Appropriation Bill the highest allocation of Rs. 166,447,000,000 has been made for Defence, Public Security, Law and Order Ministry for next year. This includes Rs. 139,447,000,000 recurrent expenditure and Rs. 27,000,000,000 capital expenditure.

A sum of Rs. 54,282,145,000 has been allocated to the Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development Ministry for the year 2008. The Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition has been allocated Rs. 57,799,998,000.

This contains Rs. 40,199,998,000 Recurrent expenditure and Rs. 17,600,000,000 capital expenditure.

Under the Appropriation Bill the estimated budget for education is Rs. 25,824,158,000.

A sum of Rs. 78,900,000,000 has been allocated for Public Administration and Home Affairs Ministry.

Meanwhile the estimated expenditure for the Transport Ministry is Rs. 38,184,170,000.

In addition Rs. 32,642,618,000 has been set apart for the Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services Ministry.

The expenditure for the Youth Affairs Ministry has been estimated to Rs. 1,740,750,000.

The Higher Education Ministry has been allocated Rs. 20,534,317,000 for the Financial year 2008.