PM to appoint an Economic Management Committee

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says an Economic Management Committee will be appointed to determine the increment of expenditure and the reduction of the revenue due to the recent amendments to the budget proposals,

The newly-established Economic Management Committee will operate the economic affairs and the members to the committee will be appointed from the Cabinet of Ministers, the Prime Minister said.

Speaking in Parliament during the committee stage of the debate on the Finance Ministry’s budget, the Premier said the Government yesterday agreed to make several key amendments to the Budget following a meeting between Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MPs and himself.

The amendments to Budget 2016 were introduced after discussions with all political parties, he told Parliament. 

The Government also has paid attention to the proposals of the trade unions and all amendments would be studied by the Economic Management Committee before implementation.

The amendments as discussed will be implemented and the Economic Management Committee will commence several revised programs to implement them from January, the PM said.

The PM also said the Constitutional Assembly to be formed by a bill on 9 January will not affect the sovereignty of Parliament. He said the move would allow for certain proposals to be put to a referendum.