News
2025 Appropriation Bill: Largest allocation for Finance Ministry; defence budget up by Rs. 19 billion
View(s):By Chandani Kirinde
The 2025 Appropriation Bill sets government expenditure at Rs. 4,616 billion, with defence sector allocations remaining high as in previous years.
The Bill was presented to Parliament on Thursday by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya.
The largest allocation for 2025 is for the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, which comes under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with allocations amounting to Rs 713 billion, of which Rs. 484 billion is for recurrent expenses and Rs. 229 billion for capital expenditure.
The Defence Ministry has been allocated Rs. 442 billion, of which Rs. 382 billion is for recurrent expenditure while Rs. 60 billion is for capital expenditure. The Defence Ministry allocation has gone up from Rs. 423 billion in 2024.
The allocation covers the expenses incurred for the three armed forces, the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, and the Civil Security Department. The Meteorology Department too is under the Defence Ministry.
The capital and recurrent expenditures allocated to Parliament have gone up. The recurrent expenditure for 2025 is Rs. 4,208 million, up from Rs. 3,853 million in 2024, while capital expenditure has gone up from Rs. 486 million to Rs. 940 million.
To the nine Provincial Councils, Rs. 536 million has been set aside, while the Health and Mass Media Ministry has been allocated Rs. 507 billion, of which Rs. 412 billion is for recurrent expenditure and Rs. 95 billion for capital expenditure.
The Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government Ministry has been allocated Rs. 496 billion, of which Rs. 463 billion is for recurrent expenditure while Rs. 33 billion is for capital expenses.
Another big allocation goes to the Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation Ministry, with Rs. 421 billion being allocated for capital expenses and Rs. 52 billion for recurrent costs, totalling Rs. 473 billion.
The Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education Ministry has been allocated Rs. 271 billion, of which Rs. 206 billion will go towards recurrent expenses, with Rs. 65 billion for capital expenditure.
The Agriculture, Livestock, Lands, and Irrigation Ministry has been allocated Rs. 209 billion, of which Rs. 83 billion will go towards recurrent expenses and Rs. 124 billion for capital expenditure.
The Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, which has under its purview the Police Department and the Department of Immigration and Emigration, has been allocated Rs. 175 billion, of which Rs. 159 billion will go towards recurrent expenditure while Rs. 16 billion is for capital expenses.
The second reading of the Appropriation Bill is scheduled for February 17, followed by a debate from February 18 to 25. The second reading vote is scheduled for the evening of February 25.
The committee stage debate, or third reading of the bill, will begin on February 27 and continue till the final vote on the bill on March 21.
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