Preliminary Discussions on the 2026 Budget

19-Jul-2025

.

A preliminary discussion was held on July 16, at the Presidential Secretariat between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance, regarding the preparation and development trends of the 2026 budget proposals.

During the meeting, the President inquired about the current progress of budget preparation. 

Finance officials informed him that a circular requesting budget proposals had already been issued and that institutions have until July 31 to submit their budget assessments within the allocated expenditure limits.

The President stressed the need to prioritize key sectors essential for national recovery while planning the upcoming budget. 

He instructed officials to focus particularly on initiatives such as digital transformation, strengthening public transport, and enhancing rural community contributions to the economy.

He further emphasized that merely allocating funds to projects is insufficient; the actual benefits reaching the people must be assessed, and mechanisms must be strengthened to ensure that.

The discussion was attended by Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Presidential Secretary Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumaranayake, Finance Secretary Dr. Harsha Suriya Peruma, and other senior finance ministry officials.