The government is considering the option of presenting a Vote on Account, instead of the calendar year Budget, to meet the expenses for four months in 2010 as presidential and general elections are scheduled to be held early next year, a minister confirmed but stressed that no final decision has been made.
Minister of State for Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya told the Sunday Times FT that the government is looking at the possibility of presenting a Vote on Account instead of the Budget for 2010 in view of elections that are scheduled to be held by April next year. He said that this view was expressed by SLFP stalwarts and economic experts who say it would be appropriate to present a mini budget rather than the annual one as the elections are going to be held within four months after the scheduled date for Budget 2010.
He added that presenting a Vote on Account in view of an election is not new to Sri Lanka and previous governments have followed this procedure. However Minister Siyambalapitiya said that no final decision has been taken on the Vote on Account issue and preliminary meetings on the preparation of budget proposals are continuing with a view to presenting the Budget 2010 in Parliament as scheduled on November 5.
The Appropriation Bill would be presented in Parliament on October 8 and the vote on the Budget will be taken on December 4.
Officials at various commerce chambers said they were requested to submit budget proposals about a month ago and this has been done. Meetings with some chambers have been scheduled with Treasury Secretary Sumith Abeysinghe in the first half of October. |
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