Highest allocation for Defence

IRANGIKA Range SANDASEN Marasinghe and Disna MUDALIGE

Beginning the first stage of Budget 2011 Prime Minister D M Jayaratne presented the Appropriation Bill in Parliament yesterday.

The highest allocation in the Appropriation Bill has been made to the Defence Ministry. It stood at Rs. 215,220 million.

A sum of Rs. 75,250 million has been allocated for the Economic Development Ministry.

The Health Budget for next year is Rs. 6,250 million while the Highways Ministry has been allocated a sum of Rs. 102,220 million.

Accordingly the second highest allocation after the Defence Ministry has been made to the Highways Ministry.

The Power and Energy Ministry has been allocated a sum of Rs. 34,110 million while the Education Ministry has received a sum of Rs. 3,720 million. The allocation made for the office of the President’s is Rs 4330 million.

Higher Education Ministry has been allocated a sum of Rs. 21,060 million.

It has been estimated that the total Government expenditure for the next financial year is rupees nine hundred and sixty seven million seven hundred and sixty six thousand.

The Government expects to obtain a sum of rupees nine hundred ninety seven billion as loans from local and foreign sources to cover its expenses next near.

The Appropriation Bill is considered the first reading of the budget and sets out expenditure allocations for various Ministries and also foreign and local borrowing limits for the next year.

The budget proper with itemized expenses and measures to bridge the deficit including tax changes, which is considered the Second Reading of the Bill is to be presented in Parliament on November 22.