Rs. 27 b supplementary allocation presented to P’ment

• Rs. 4.2 b to settle Southern Expressway and other road development costs
• Rs. 2.2 b to purchase US coast guard cutter for Navy 
• Rs. 5.3 b subsidy for bus season tickets and army bus passes 
• Rs. 9.9 b for Samurdhi program expenses    

 A Supplementary Allocation of Rs. 27 billion was presented to Parliament yesterday seeking House approval for expenses incurred for June 2018 to fund 51 different programs and purposes.

The key allocations, which were looking for House approval, include the additional allocation of Rs. 4.24 billion for the Ministry of Higher Education and Highways to settle the Godagama-Beliatta extension, Beliatta-Wetiya and Andarawewa-Mattala sections of the Southern Expressway and the Colombo District Road Development Project. 

Sri Lanka Navy has also requested approval for Rs. 2.2 billion to meet the expenditure of acquiring the High Endurance Coast Guard Cutter from the United States, Rs. 5.3 billion for the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation to shoulder the subsidy for school and higher education season tickets, a grant for the Sri Lanka Transport Board operating on unremunerated routes and the armed forces bus passes and Rs. 9.9 billion for the Department of Samurdhi Development to meet the expenditure of the Samurdhi Relief Assistance Program.

Supplementary allocations are being provided in the terms of Clause 6 (1) of the Appropriation Act as required. These are provided strictly for the purposes specified in approved Budget Estimates to relevant spending agencies having carried out a needs assessment, giving consideration to relevant financial regulations and approved procedures.

However, the supplementary provision presented yesterday did not change the approved total expenditure limits of the annual estimate by Parliament. The allocation of such purposes has been made under the Project of Budgetary Support Services and Contingent Liabilities of the Department of National Budget and it is under the limit of the Approved Annual Budget. Therefore, either the borrowing limit or the maximum limit of total expenditure will not be increased due to the granting of these supplementary provisions. The purpose of this provision is to facilitate the smooth conduct of public finance management in a more efficient and effective manner. (AH)