September 11, Colombo (LNW): Transport, Highways, and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana has warned that the 2025 budget could be at risk if SJB Presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa or NPP Presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake come into power. He made these remarks at an election meeting held at the Handapangoda junction, which was attended by Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Minister Vidura Wickremenayake yesterday.
Minister Gunawardhana criticized the opposition candidates, stating, “Presidential candidates Sajith Premadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who have no experience in governing a country, have announced that they will dissolve parliament on the same day if they win the presidential election.”
He further warned that if the budget is not passed within 100 days from September 21, senior citizens may not receive their allowances by January 10, 2025. “The poor people who are struggling for a living will not be able to receive their Aswesuma or Samurdhi benefits if the budget is not passed,” he added.
The Minister also emphasized that government employees might not receive their salaries on January 25 if the budget fails to pass in Parliament. “Whoever comes into power, the 2025 budget needs to be passed in Parliament, and payments should be approved by Parliament,” he said, underscoring that the President does not have the authority to make any payments without parliamentary approval.
