The second reading debate of the Budget 2021 is expected to continue for the second consecutive day from 9.30 am this morning (November 19).
The debate, which commenced on Wednesday (18), will go on for four days.
The vote on the second reading is scheduled for November 21st at 5.00 pm. Parliament sittings are taking place between 9.30 am and 5.30 pm during this period.
The debate of the Committee Stage will commence on the 23rd of November and is set to conclude on 10th of December. Accordingly, the vote on the third reading will be held at 5.00 pm on that day.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, presented the second reading of the Appropriation Bill for the financial year 2021 in Parliament on Tuesday (17).
Under the new budget proposal, the estimated Government revenue for 2021 is Rs. 1,961 billion and the total Government expenditure is Rs. 3,525 billion and as such the difference between the revenue and the expenditure is Rs. 1,564 billion.
Government plans to maintain the budget gap at 9 percent of the GDP and the expected economic growth rate for 2021 is 5.5 percent, the Premier said during his budget speech.
