Public consultations and Budget 2013

In the context of formulating national budgets, nothing could be more advisable than public consultations and it is a matter for some satisfaction that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has launched this process once again. Rather than adopt a top-down approach in going about this exercise, it is most appropriate to bring the people directly into the budget-making process and it is welcome news that this is happening. Since budgets are essentially all about the wellbeing of the people and its advancement, to the degree to which the people themselves are kept in focus and sounded out, states could be said to be adopting the right method in drawing-up its expenditure and income plans for the coming year.

These public consultations have turned out to be a hallmark of the Mahinda Rajapaksa Presidency and we urge that public involvement in policy formulation be spread far and wide over every sphere that would be of interest to the people.

That Sri Lanka's economy has attained exceptional robustness is familiar news and to all outward appearances, this country seems to be on a steady growth track. Among other things, we are said to be a Middle Income Country and the public is likely to wholeheartedly welcome these tidings as long as even the 'smallest' in the land is benefited.

This is where very effective management of the economy counts. The growth that is generated must be equitably distributed and the state is obliged to ensure that this does take place.

The government could not do better in these circumstances than to get the people to pronounce in no uncertain terms how the economy is treating them and we hope the insights they offer would be an integral part of the budget proposals.

It should be borne in mind that a mere 'trickle-down' of wealth just would not suffice in these times and that the people should be truly empowered economically.

We believe we would be doing wrong by complacently waxing lyrical about the state of the economy. Dynamic growth is one thing, economic equity another. It is for this reason that the observer would be right in saying that the diverse rural development projects launched by the state, including, those targeting the North-East, are the right way to go.

The state is obliged to ensure the complete success of these programmes because they promise economic empowerment of the masses.

Rather than ensure that wealth merely 'trickles-down' to the people, what should be aimed at is the integration of the masses into the development process, so that they would be strong stakeholders in the wealth-generating effort. The people, that is, should be active parties in the growth process, so that they would not reduce themselves to the position of dependants on the state. They should create wealth and not be passive recipients of state 'handouts'.

It is of special importance that the employment-generation process be kept alive for the purposes of economic empowerment. It is no secret that there is a youth unemployment problem in this country and the state would do well to ensure that our youth are gainfully occupied.

The government could gauge the effectiveness of its development effort by the success registered in finding meaningful employment for our youth.

The cost of living issue too should be resolved to the people's satisfaction. It is common knowledge that control over the prices of essentials cannot be easily hoped for. This impression should not be there for long.

The state must demonstrate that it is in a position to keep prices under reasonable limits. It is also essential to ensure that the consumer gets value for money. Sound economic management is assessed in terms of how effectively these issues are handled to the satisfaction of the people.