The Island
The government yesterday presented a vote-on-account seeking over Rs. 362 billion for the first four months of 2010. Deputy Finance Minister Sarath Amunugama made the presentation amidst Opposition protests.
The proposed spending for maintaining public services included Rs. 197,478,109,000 for recurrent expenditure, Rs. 158,987,398,000 for capital expenditure and Rs. 6,222,467,000 for advance accounts.
The minister said that a total sum of Rs. 362,687,974,000/- would be paid from the Consolidated Fund for general services and also to the Advance Account.
The Defence Ministry, armed forces, the police and the department of civil security had received the Lion’s share with Rs. 71,460 million being allocated.
The health sector has received Rs. 19,660 million, education Rs. 8,550 million and higher education Rs. 1,940 million.
The Office of the President had received Rs. 2,300 million, Prime Minister Rs. 60 million while Supreme Court judges have been allocated Rs. 15,521,000.
The Election Secretariat has been allocated Rs. 366,296,000 while the Budget Department received Rs. 16,920 million and Parliament given Rs. 490 million.
The Educational Publication Department and the Department of Examinations received Rs. 520 million. For the power and energy sector Rs. 13,480 million and Rs. 29,960 million for the Pensions Department, too, had been allocated.
A vote-on-account was submitted in place of an Appropriation Bill for expenditure for a period of four months commencing from January 1, 2010 as the government was preparing for the next parliamentary elections by April 2010. One third of the funds already approved by Parliament as Supplementary Estimates during the current financial year have been included on the vote-on-account.