Prof. Tissa Vitharana, leader of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), has welcomed several key aspects of the 2025 national budget, particularly its emphasis on social welfare, but raised significant concerns about the country’s economic trajectory, urging stronger action to avoid a return to bankruptcy.

One of the most promising features, according to Vitharana, is the prioritization of nutrition for the nearly 63% of families in Sri Lanka who struggle to access three meals a day. With malnutrition rates possibly doubling to 14.3%, Vitharana emphasized that Sri Lanka’s robust public health service is well-positioned to target the most vulnerable households. He expressed hope that the government would implement this initiative effectively, acknowledging the importance of addressing food insecurity in a country where many families are forced to subsist on one meal per day for adults and two for children.

Vitharana also lauded the government’s focus on promoting industrial development, particularly in the export sector, pointing to the successful Vidatha Program and SLINTEC, which he helped establish as former Minister of Science and Technology. He noted that over 30,000 entrepreneurs have emerged through the Vidatha program, and many are now contributing to the country’s export revenue. He urged the President and Finance Minister to ensure that the budget adequately supports this critical sector.

Another highlight of the budget, according to Vitharana, is the allocation for education, renewable energy, and digitalization. He also supported the government’s initiative to make use of the country’s oil tanks, which could potentially enhance energy security.

However, Vitharana expressed concerns regarding the health sector, particularly the severe shortage of essential medicines, many of which are imported at high prices. He pointed out that this shortage is causing immense hardship for those with chronic illnesses, particularly low-income individuals who cannot afford the high costs of private pharmacies. He called for greater attention to implementing the WHO-approved Senaka Bibile medicinal drug policy, which ensures affordable, high-quality medicines.

On the economic front, Vitharana criticized the government’s growing reliance on foreign loans, noting that recurrent expenditure is four times higher than capital expenditure. This, he argued, undermines the potential for economic development and may lead Sri Lanka back into a debt crisis. He also highlighted the situation in the rice market, where traders and mill owners are benefiting from higher prices while government reserves remain low.

Vitharana further expressed concern about the budget’s reliance on indirect taxes, which he believes will disproportionately burden the poor and middle classes, exacerbating income inequality.

In conclusion, Vitharana drew comparisons to the 1970s, recalling how LSSP leader Dr. N. M. Perera, as Finance Minister, navigated Sri Lanka through an economic crisis without raising taxes. He urged the current government to adopt similar strategies to avoid exacerbating the nation’s fiscal problems. He also referenced his COPA Chairman’s report in Parliament, which advocates for quicker tax collection from large corporations and tackling issues such as the ongoing elephant-human conflict.