Sri Lankan Government’s total Government income for 2019 will be Rs.2,400 billion and expenditure for the year will be Rs. 4,550 billion according to estimates in the Appropriation Bill presented in Parliament by the Finance Minister on February 5 this year. Further the government target is to keep the Budget deficit at the level of 4.4% of the GDP, according to the State Minister of Finance, Eran Wickramaratne.

The current Government’s 5th Budget will be presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera today (March 5^th 2019) and will be aimed at empowering the people and nurturing the poor apart from catering to the basic educational, health and livelihood requirements of the population.

The Second Reading debate on Budget 2019 is scheduled to be held from March 6^th to 13^thand the Committee Stage debate will be from March 13^th to April 5^th. The Third Reading and the voting will be held on April 5^th according to officials.  

Although the 2019 Budget was due to be presented on October 26 last year, it was unexpectedly delayed due to the political turmoil and instability which occurred in the country. As such, a Vote on Account had to be presented in Parliament to cover government expenditure for the first four months of 2019.