True to expectations, Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday presented a people-friendly Budget for 2019, balanced with maintaining policy consistency and reforms for the private sector, though the Opposition and some analysts were wary.

The budget proposal of 2019 has imposed luxury taxation on motor vehicles. The budget states that the taxes are to be imposed on Cost Insurance Freight(CIF) value.

The Budget 2019 was tabled in Parliament today at 2.00 PM by Finance minister Mangala Samaraweera.

Cabinet has given its approval for the 2019 budget. The cabinet meeting was held this morning chaired by President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential secretariat.

A suspect has been arrested at Keselwatte, Panadura along with a diamond valued at around Rs 500 million believed to have been stolen in Pannipitiya last year.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, yesterday, warned the public not to be fooled by today’s budget. He said that there would be a number of election ‘gundus’ therein.

It is proposed to obtain Rs. 10.5 billion from the budget to purchase heart stents, eye lenses etc, Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said.

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera will today present the Government’s Budget for 2019 under the theme ‘Empowering the People, Nurturing the Poor,’ which will set critical policies and priorities for an election year.

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera in conversation with Treasury Secretary Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga while putting the final touches to the Budget – 2019 at the Minister’s “Rainbow End” private residence at Gorakana- Panadura yesterday. Minister Mangala Samaraweera will present the Budget – 2019 at 1.30 pm on Tuesday in Parliament.

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa visited the Anuradhapura sacred city yesterday morning (03).

President Maithripala Sirisena has stressed the need for the establishment of a special court to hear cases related to drug crimes and plans to discuss this matter at the next Cabinet meeting.

A delegation consisting of representatives of at least four Tamil political parties is scheduled to head for Geneva to lobby the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for an international mechanism to speed up investigations into alleged human rights violations and accountability issues.

Sanka Shirantha alias Bloemandhal Sanka, a notorious criminal and 2 others have been arrested from Rameshwaram – Tamilnadu – India.