The expenditure heads for the departments and institutes that come under two other ministries are to be taken up for debate during the Committee Stage Debate of Budget 2019 today (29).

Accordingly, the expenditure heads for Ministry of Highways, Road Development and Petroleum Resources Development and the Ministry of Power, Energy and Business Development will be debated at the House.

Meanwhile, expenditure heads for the Ministry of Internal and Home Affairs and Provincial Councils and Local Government and the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development were defeated at yesterday’s parliamentary session.

The expenditure heads 155, 226, 227, 254 to 259 of Ministry of Internal and Home Affairs and Provincial Councils and Local Government have been passed without amendments. UPFA Parliamentarian Ranjith De Zoysa had called for a division when it came to the voting of the expenditure heads.

Accordingly, the expenditure head 260 was defeated by 15 votes. Only 23 parliamentarians had voted in favour of the expenditure head while 38 had voted against.

As per the request of the Opposition, the rest of the expenditure heads of the ministry were also voted.

Expenditure heads from 261 to 279 and 312 to 321 were accordingly defeated.
Subsequently, the expenditure heads 162 and 311 of Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development were also defeated in the vote.

Commenting at the session, Leader of House Minister Lakshman Kiriella stated the parliamentarians of the Opposition had breached the agreement reached at the party leaders’ meeting not to call for a vote during the Committee Stage Debate.

He added that the amended expenditure heads would be presented to the parliament without delay.