Ministry Secretaries expected to find methods to slash expenses

Among the highlights of an interim budget to be presented in Parliament in six weeks, will be a proposal to cut down government expenditure by 50 percent, a senior official said.

Ministry Secretaries are expected to find their own methods to slash expenses according to the proposal.

In a discussion held at the Prime Minister’s office yesterday, short, medium and long term solutions were discussed to overcome the drug crisis which was created due to the prevailing economic crisis.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the discussion had said that the Governments of Sri Lanka and India had agreed to pay back the loan in Sri Lankan Rupees after discussions due to the lack of dollars for the purchase of US $ 200 million worth of medicines received by Sri Lanka under the Indian loan facility.

At the meeting the gravity of the economic crisis was learnt when it was said that there was a lack of dollars to purchase medicine. 

Meanwhile an official at the Prime Minister’s office said that the expenditure of the prime minister office had been reduced by 50 percent therefore the ministries and state offices would also be asked to do the same in view of the economic situation.

The decisions to implement work from home facilities, cutting down fuel expenditures, reducing allowances, as well as reducing staff are among measures that would follow according to the proposal.

He added that the proposal would be implemented simultaneously to the budget. 

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Administration and Management issued a circular to Ministry Secretaries, Secretaries of local government institutions and Heads of Department to call only the essential staff needed to manage work without disrupting the public from today onwards.

The Cabinet decided on Monday that only essential staff in the state sector would be called for work in until further instructions are given.

Also the circular had stressed that state institutes and ministries use fuel and power spearingly as a measure to slash expenses.