Sri Lanka’s 2027 Budget to focus on solving drinking water issues
Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the 2027 Budget will give special attention to finding lasting solutions to the public’s long-standing drinking water issues.
The President made these remarks during a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo this morning (July 08). The meeting was held to review the progress of projects carried out under the 2026 Budget allocations for the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply and to discuss the Ministry’s budget needs for 2027.
The progress of projects implemented in 2026 by departments and institutions under the Ministry was reviewed at the meeting. These included the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, the Department of National Community Water Supply, the National Housing Development Authority and the Resettlement Division of the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply.
Their plans and funding requirements for 2027 were also discussed.
President Dissanayake said that having several institutions under different ministries working on the same subject had caused delays and inefficiencies in carrying out projects.
He also said that some institutions established many years ago for purposes that were no longer relevant had become an unnecessary financial burden on the Government. The President instructed officials to take steps to discontinue institutions that are no longer productive or effective.
The meeting also focused on the progress and future work of several major water supply projects. These included the Kandy North Integrated Water Supply Project, the Greater Colombo Wastewater Management Project, the Ambatale Water Supply Project and the Anuradhapura North Water Supply Project.
Extensive discussions were also held on allocating the largest budgetary provision in Sri Lanka’s history through the 2027 Budget to address drinking water issues across the island.
Special attention was also given to the national resettlement programme. The President instructed officials to speed up the resettlement of people displaced by the war.
He also instructed officials to implement a housing assistance programme to help low-income families complete houses that are only partly built.
The meeting also reviewed the progress of the Government’s housing development programme, “A Place of Our Own – A Beautiful Life”, and discussed budget allocations needed to carry it out next year.
Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Susil Ranasinghe, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Anil Jayantha Fernando, Deputy Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply T.B. Sarath, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Chief of Presidential Staff Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Energy and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russell Aponsu, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Kapila Janaka Bandara, Secretary to the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Engineer L. Kumudu Lal Bogahawatte, and officials of the Ministries of Finance and Housing, Construction and Water Supply were also present.
