Harsha says Budget proposals at odds with stated govt. principles

By Saman Indrajith

The 2025 Budget proposals are completely at odds with the core principles outlined in the policy statement presented by the President and the National People’s Power (NPP), Opposition MP Dr. Harsha de Silva told Parliament on Tuesday (18) as he opened the Budget debate.

Dr de Silva said he could not determine whether the Budget was capitalist or socialist, describing it as a distorted mix of ideologies. He likened it to a sermon pieced together with extracts from the Dhammapada, the Bible, and the Quran.

“The President does not seem to know which path to take—he is lost. He cannot find the right direction and is stumbling forward blindly. He is wearing someone else’s trousers as if they were his own. Is this really the path to saving a country that has been in decline for 76 years? What are these proposals? Did he fulfil the promises made during the election? He claimed he would implement change with a single stroke of a pen, yet a gazette was issued increasing the price of paddy. He promised to remove taxes on essential food items—where is that promise now?

“He said public sector salaries would be revised every six months. The Budget speech mentioned salary increases, but what was actually granted? The government assured the public that salaries would increase by Rs. 15,750, but this has now been split into three instalments. In reality, the net increase is only Rs. 8,250. In April 2025, the minimum increase will be just Rs. 5,975, followed by Rs. 1,137 in January 2026 and another Rs. 1,137 in January 2027. That is how they arrive at Rs. 8,250.

“Last night, a doctor told me their salary had actually decreased. The government claims it has not imposed additional taxes, but new taxes were introduced in December last year. Look at vehicle imports—how much tax has been imposed on them?

“The public was expecting a system change from this Budget, but that has not happened. However, I will acknowledge one positive aspect—some wasteful spending has been cut. The focus on digitalisation is also a step in the right direction,” he said.