• Deputy Minister says amended budgets valid for two years 

The Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils (PC), and Local Government (LG) stated the recent budget defeats faced by National People’s Power (NPP)-led LG bodies would not hinder administrative activities.

When contacted by The Daily Morning, the Deputy Minister of Public Administration, PCs, and LG, Prabha Ruwan Senarath noted that although the budgets of several NPP-led LG institutions were defeated, the budgets could be amended and implemented for a period of two years.

He said that a problematic situation could arise only in the third year, but stressed that any such situation would be examined at the appropriate time. “The amended budget has the power to be implemented. A problem may arise in the third year, and we will see how to intervene if such a situation arises in the future,” he said.

The NPP lost control of several LG institutions following the recent LG elections, as opposition parties collectively secured enough seats to surpass them in multiple institutions. The NPP was able to form administrations only by securing the support of members from other parties. However, some of these administrations are now facing setbacks, with their annual budgets being defeated.