Sri Lanka to present 2025 Budget on January 9, 2025

The 2025 Budget proposals will be presented to the Parliament of Sri Lanka on January 9, 2025, according to Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa.

The second reading of the budget will take place on February 17, 2025. The third reading and the budget debate will be held from February 27 to March 21, 2025.

Meanwhile, Cabinet approval has been granted to present an interim budget to Parliament of Sri Lanka for the period from January to April 2025, to continue Sri Lankan government activities and debt servicing uninterrupted.

Speaking at the Cabinet decision briefing held today (November 26), Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa made this statement.

The parliamentary debate on the interim budget has been scheduled to take place on December 5 and 6, 2024 the Minister stated.

Although the newly convened Parliament met on November 21, 2024, there was not enough time to follow the constitutional procedures necessary to pass the Appropriation Bill for the year 2025.

Therefore, as per Section 23(1) of the Public Finance Management Act No. 44 of 2024, an interim budget must be presented to Parliament to allocate funds for the first four months of 2025, to maintain ongoing projects and government services.

Accordingly, the Cabinet approved the proposal presented by the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, as Minister of Finance, Planning and Digital Economy, to prepare an interim budget for the first four months of 2025, which includes expenses related to government reforms, public debt servicing, and restructuring.