Govt. moves supplementary estimate for defeated expenditure heads

Government moved a supplementary estimate seeking House approval yesterday to make allocations for the defeated expenditure heads of the Ministries of Internal, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government and Megapolis and Western Development.

On 28 March, the Opposition lawmakers defeated a part of the expenditure heads of these two Ministries. The expenditure head 260 on District Secretariat Nuwara-Eliya received 20 votes in favour and 38 against.

The expenditure heads from 261 to 321 of the Ministry of Internal and Home Affairs and Provincial Councils and Local Government received 23 in favour and 38 against. Last on the list, the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development and the Department of National Physical Planning was fully defeated receiving 24 votes in favour and 38 votes against.

However, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, explaining the Government position, recently confirmed that a supplementary estimate will be moved if necessary, to recover the traditional deductions proposed or could continue without the negligible deduction. 

“The deduction due to defeat was Rs. 320. We could consider moving a supplementary estimate to recover the deduction of Rs. 320 from the full allocation of Rs. 2,312 billion. The fault was on our side where the attendance of lawmakers was poor,” said the Prime Minister. (AH)