Category: News

The Second Reading of Appropriation Bill (Budget) for the fiscal year 2024 (the Budget Speech) is to be presented to the Parliament by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies, at 12 noon on 13 November.

Thereafter, the Second Reading of the 2024 Budget will be debated for a period of one week, from the 14 to 21 November.

The vote for the Second Reading of the Budget is scheduled to be held at 06:00 p.m. on 21 November, following which the Committee Stage debate will be held for a period of 19 days from 22 November – 13 December.

Accordingly, the vote on the Third Reading of the 2024 Budget is slated to be held at 06:00 p.m. on 13 December.

Accordingly, during the period in which the Budget is slated to be debated, the debate is scheduled to be held from 09:30 a.m. to 06:30 p.m. every day, while the Adjournment debate will be held from 06:00 p.m. to 06:30 p.m. everyday, except on the date of vote.

Ruling party MP Sarath Weerasekara who was denied a visa to travel to the United States, showered praise on China citing it as an indispensable and dependable friend of Asia.

Addressing the BOAO summit in China recently, he said the western world will never comprehend the bond among the Asian countries.

“It is evolved and nurtured through trade and mainly Buddhism. China has been an indispensable and dependable friend of Asia.
We are grateful to China, a permanent member in the Security Council, for the consistent support it has given to Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council. When we defeated the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world we were vilified by the western countries, but China always stood by us,” he said.

Recently, Weerasekara was denied travel to the US for a programme meant for the Sri Lankan MPs heading parliamentary sectoral oversight committees. Weerasekara chairs the Committee on National Security.

Leader of the NPP Anura Kumara Dissanayake has promised economic freedom by building a production-based economy and ensuring equal dividends to all.

He was addressing the Sri Lankan community in Los Angeles, USA during a recent visit.

Dissanayake identified them as a key pressure group during key national elections as they keep a close tab on developments back home while leading secure lives in their adopted country.

He addressed a key criticism of his party’s capabilities of governance.

The NPP is an honest and dedicated group committed to spending their efforts for the country and the people without expecting anything personal.

It has personnel with expertise in economics, foreign affairs, education, health, agriculture, economy etc., Dissanayake added.

Inflation in Sri Lanka rose to 1.5% in October 2023, compared to 1.3% in September the same year.

The Department of Census and Statistics releasing the Colombo Consumer Price Index for October 2023 reported that Food Inflation remained at -5.2%.

The Overall Rate of Inflation as measured by the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI) has increased to 1.5% in October 2023, according to the Department of Census and Statistics.

The latest report by the department states it was an increase from the 1.3% reported in September 2023.

The department further said food inflation remains unchanged at -5.2% in October as it was in September.

However, non-food inflation has increased to 4.9% in October from the 4.7% recorded in September this year.

The European Union (EU) has allocated 100,000 euros (over 34.5 million Sri Lankan rupees) for emergency humanitarian assistance to some 15,000 people affected by floods in Sri Lanka.

Families in the worst-hit localities in Sabaragamuwa, Southern and Western provinces will benefit from the aid, the EU’s Colombo mission said in a statement on Monday October 30.

“This EU funding supports the Sri Lankan Red Cross Society (SLRCS) in delivering emergency relief items, including drinking water, clothes, bed sheets and mosquito nets. In addition, affected families will receive cash grants to enable them to meet their basic needs. The assistance will also focus on cleaning up flooded areas and wells while delivering hygiene promotion campaigns. Medical camps will be set up to assist those injured in the wake of the floods,” the EU said.

According to the statement, the funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

“The southern part of the island nation started experiencing a series of strong monsoon rains in early October, causing floods and landslides that affected more than 75,000 people in 13 districts. As a result of the continued downpours and strong winds, a number of houses, agricultural lands and crops in low-lying areas were damaged. Major traffic arteries to several districts were cut off by fallen trees. The floods left many drinking water resources contaminated. The worst affected areas were the coastal districts of Galle, Gampaha and Matara, with most parts flooded for more than a week.”

The European Union is signatory to a 10 million-euro humanitarian delegation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to “small-scale” disasters – those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal, the EU said.

India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will embark on a three-day official visit to Sri Lanka tomorrow (Nov. 01), the Indian government said in a statement.

During the visit, Minister Sitharaman will deliver the Keynote Address as the Guest of Honour at the ‘NAAM 200’ organised by the Sri Lankan government to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the arrival of India-origin Tamils (IOTs) to Sri Lanka, on November 02 at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo.

The Indian finance minister will also give the keynote address at the India Sri Lanka Business Summit themed ‘Enhancing Connectivity: Partnering for Prosperity’. It is jointly organized by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), the Indo-Lanka Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, on November 02, at Hotel Taj Samudra in Colombo.

As part of the official visit, Minister Sitharaman will engage in bilateral discussions with President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

She will witness the exchange of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Solar Electrification of Religious Places in Sri Lanka wherein India will allocate INR 82.40 crores out of the Indian government grant assistance of INR 107.47 crores earmarked for the promotion of Buddhist ties.

Minister Sitharaman will also inaugurate SBI Branches at Trincomalee and Jaffna on November 02 and 03, respectively.

She will visit Sri Dalada Maligawa (The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic) in Kandy, Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura, Thirukoneswaram Temple in Trincomalee and Nallur Kandaswamy Temple in Jaffna during the course of her visit to Sri Lanka.

Besides the above engagements, Minister Sitharaman is also slated to visit Lanka IOC Oil Tank Farms, Jaffna Cultural Centre and Jaffna Public Library during her visit.

Two officials have been handed over charge sheets over sexually harassing female employees in the Housekeeping Department of Parliament.

The charge sheets were handed over last Friday (27) by Deputy Secretary-General of the Parliament – Attorney-At-Law Chaminda Kularatne, based on findings of initial investigations done in this regard.

The two parliament officials were given a 14-day period to show cause. If they fail to do so, they will be sacked from their positions.

(Source : Lankadeepa)