April 28, Colombo (LNW): President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced yesterday that 2025 is poised to become the highest revenue-generating year in Sri Lanka’s history.
Addressing an election rally in Beruwala, he credited the strong performance of key government institutions for the promising outlook, highlighting that the Inland Revenue Department had surpassed its targets in January, with the Customs Department exceeding expectations across both January and February.
The President reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding public funds, assuring citizens that tax revenues would be directed solely towards national development and public welfare.
Emphasising a balanced approach, he stated that whilst taxes would remain reasonable to encourage economic activity, they would be strictly managed to ensure businesses continued to thrive without undue burden.
Reflecting on the mandate given to the National People’s Power (NPP) by the electorate, President Dissanayake stressed that his administration had made significant strides towards fulfilling promises to revitalise the economy, eradicate corruption, enforce accountability, strengthen democracy, and restore Sri Lanka’s reputation on the global stage.
He noted that although challenges remained, considerable progress had been made in a relatively short period.
President Dissanayake pointed to key achievements, including stabilising the national economy, maintaining a steady exchange rate over recent months, and successfully lowering interest rates to under 10 per cent, making credit more accessible to businesses and individuals alike.
In addition, he underlined his government’s efforts to curb extravagant expenditure, revealing that the privileges previously extended to the President, Ministers, and Members of Parliament had been substantially curtailed.
The funds saved through these cost-cutting measures, he said, were being reinvested into programmes aimed at alleviating the burdens on ordinary citizens.
Furthermore, the President asserted that the rule of law now prevailed across all sectors of society, ensuring that justice was applied uniformly, regardless of political or social status.
He reiterated the government’s unwavering dedication to creating a transparent, accountable, and fair governance framework, which he said was crucial for rebuilding public trust and laying the foundations for long-term national prosperity.
