NPP’s Budget is a beautiful mix of words like a children’s playbook – Marikkar

SJB MP S.M. Marikkar 

• Claims it is a bland Budget with neither merits nor demerits
• Says prices of essential goods, electricity, water, school supplies, medicines, or bus fares have not been reduced in this Budget
• Adds that NPP is trying to show that they did all development in the country since independence 
• Stresses that NPP Ministers and MPs lack knowledge on reality 
• Objects Govt.’s decision to lower the VAT registration threshold from Rs. 60 m to Rs. 36 m annual turnover
• Claims the Govt. is oppressing people

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian S.M. Marikkar yesterday criticised the second Budget presented by the National People’s Power (NPP) Government, stating that it is a bland Budget with neither merits nor demerits.

Speaking at a media conference held at the SJB headquarters, Marikkar said the 2025 Budget was full of beautifully mixed words, like a children’s playbook but failed to bring any tangible relief to the people.

“This year’s Budget has not reduced the prices of essential goods, electricity, water, school supplies, medicines, or bus fares. From the glass of water that you drink in the morning to the pill you take before going to bed, nothing has been reduced. Yet, the Government continues to boast about it,” he said.

Marikkar said the NPP Government was acting as though it had been responsible for every major development in Sri Lanka’s history.

“Looking at this Budget, it gives the feeling that from freedom to Sri Lanka to free education, the open economy, vocational education, to taking cricket to international stage, establishing universities to introducing Mahapola scholarship scheme to infrastructure projects to one million houses to Suwaseriya service have been introduced by this Government,” he remarked sarcastically.

He also said that the NPP Parliamentarians and Ministers act like since the day Kuveniya arrived in Sri Lanka, the NPP had been working to develop Sri Lanka and they lacked knowledge on reality as some of them claim that economic issues were solved after President Anura Dissanayake took over.

However, Marikkar expressed gratitude to President Dissanayake for presenting a Budget with a backbone as he was fulfilling the needs of the Opposition. 

“When he was in the Opposition, Anura Dissanayake opposed the sale of State enterprises. Now, as President, he supports it. He is behaving like the grandson of J.R. Jayewardene,” Marikkar said.

Marikkar strongly objected to the Government’s decision to lower the VAT registration threshold from Rs. 60 million to Rs. 36 million annual turnover, saying it would unfairly burden small and medium businesses.

“Now, anyone earning about Rs. 300,000 a month must register for VAT and pay 18 percent. After covering electricity, water, and wages, small business owners are left with almost nothing. This policy will force them to pass the tax burden to consumers,” he said.

Marikkar claimed that from 2026, even goods purchased from local shops would carry an additional 18 percent VAT and that was how the Government was oppressing the people. 

Meanwhile, he accused the Government of failing to keep its earlier promises to reduce taxes on education, food, and health, as well as its pledge to cut electricity tariffs by one-third.

Speaking about upcoming elections, Marikkar said the SJB was ready for the Provincial Council elections but accused the Government of being afraid to hold them.

“President Dissanayake said in Parliament that there is no money for the elections. But the government holds the majority and can easily bring a proposal to Parliament to make them happen,” he said.

He confirmed that the SJB would not take part in the protest rally in Nugegoda on November 21, organised by other Opposition parties