Praise for budget

Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE and Chamikara WEERASINGHE

Ministers and the public yesterday hailed budget 2013. They said it was a people- friendly budget with many benefits for the farming community and the public.

Cements foundation for strong economy

Budget 2013 is a people - friendly budget, which cements the foundation for a strong economy, Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne said.

He said the budget is significant since it has drawn its attention on the country's economic uplift.

The budget focused on the well-being of the farming community considering farmers' requests and issues. Dairy farmers will be paid Rs 50 per litre of milk, the highest ever price for local milk production. A tax has been imposed on imported milk powder to boost local milk production. These steps have been taken for the benefit of farmers, Minister Jayaratne said.

The minister said agricultural and plantation sectors, being the backbone of the economy, have been given top priority in the budget.

He said agriculture and plantation sectors will be revived through these proposals.

Speaking on the proposals with relation to the education sector, Jayaratne said the budget has taken fruitful measures for the betterment of the education sector.

He said schoolchildren will be issued shoes and other requirements apart from uniform material and textbooks. Rs 900 million will be allocated for Provincial Teacher Training activities. An additional allocation of Rs 4,000 million will be made to enrol 5,000 students additionally to universities as per a Supreme Court order, the minister said.

He also welcomed the increase in airport tax and online visa tax by 10 percent and five percent.

The minister said an airport tax is included to the airfare which can be utilised to develop airports.

Relief for all

National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara who is also the Democratic Left Front Secretary said relief has been provided by this year's budget proposals to all categories of the public.

“We can also observe that the government sector has been handed over the responsibility of a major functional aspect of the economy which is a significant factor of a public-oriented development policy,” he said.

“We greatly appreciate the proposal to provide relief to the July 1980 strikers who have suffered continuously for 32 years having fought against the Neo-Liberal economic disaster. We firmly believe that we have to extend this facility to employees of Thulhiriya and Pugoda Mills who suffered the same fate as the 1980 July strikers in losing employment during periods of UNP regime,” Nanayakkara said.

“We extend our support to the UPFA government which has been hailed by the public for having worked with dedication and tirelessly in a responsible manner, for the well-being of the public,” he said.

Decisive stride to address health problems

Indigenous Medicine Minister Salinda Dissanayake said the budget has laid a firm footing towards making a healthy nation.

Minister Dissanayaka said the budget has taken a decisive stride to address health problems that have surfaced due to the use of increased usage of pesticides and chemical fertiliser.

He said with the introduction of a guaranteed price of Rs 40 per kilo for organic fertiliser used paddy, budget 2013 has brought about local agriculture to a turning-point.

“The number of non-communicable diseases have increased in the country over the past years because of the increased use of toxic chemicals and fertiliser. We are facing the challenge of having to preserve the biodiversity in our environs against the impact of chemical fertilizer in our soils,” the minister said.

The budget provides solutions to these problems with an aim to achieve a poison free food culture in the country, Dissanayaka said.

Overall thrust of budget is towards poverty alleviation, food security

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said it is encouraged by the commitment to fiscal discipline displayed in budget 2013.

“We are also pleased by the commitment to maintain a flexible exchange rate regime and the investment and growth targets outlined by the authorities.

The fiscal consolidation envisaged constitutes a welcome advance towards creating a macroeconomic environment conducive for achieving these. Notwithstanding the difficult macroeconomic environment, we appreciate the efforts of the government to continue with the tax reforms announced in the budget 2011,” the Chamber said in a release.

“We note that the overall thrust of the budget is towards poverty alleviation and food security. The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce supports these objectives as they are important components towards achieving sustainable and equitable growth. We specifically welcome the measures to encourage SMEs, private sector led R&D, capital market development, investments in agriculture and the promotion of the IT and BPO sectors,” the release said.

Way forward to find better solutions

State Pharmaceutical Corporation chairman Prof S D Jayaratna said the budget has laid the foundation to develop an effective medicine supply system in the country with focus to develop local pharmaceutical production.

He said the government allocated a substantial amount to manufacture pharmaceutical products to meet the rising demand for medicine.

It has allocated increased funds to expand the capacity of drug supplies with government and private sector participation.

The budget is a way forward to find better solutions against the country's health problems by initiating a proper pharmaceutical supply system, Prof Jayaratne said.

Solid foundation for sustainable economic development

Shani Gallage, an employee in the financial sector commended the budget as one that has laid a solid foundation for the sustainable economic development of the country.

She said the budget has been presented to usher sustainable economic development.

Gallage said it is praiseworthy that a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 will be paid to every public servant of which Rs 750 will be paid as the Cost of Living allowance.

She said this amount should also be paid to the private sector.

Gallage said increasing taxes on imported liquor by 25 percent was a welcome move. She said this is a positive step to create a liquor free society.

Relief for the needy

Chandani Senanayaka employed in the education sector said all sectors in the economy have been allocated with sufficient funds while providing relief for the needy.

Senanayaka praised the decision to pay a livelihood allowance of Rs 5,000 per month from January 2013 to senior citizens over 65 years.

The increased allocation for research for university academics and medical professionals by Rs 250 million and 4.1 percent of GDP allocation amounting Rs 306 million for the education sector are the most awaited steps of the education sector.