• Sajith grills Govt on 2026 Budget progress
• Questions how President is going to make ‘info-less’ 2027 Budget speech  
• Finance Ministry following year-end performance, output budgeting 

The Government sought indefinite time to respond to a series of questions raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in Parliament yesterday (22) on the implementation of the 2026 Budget, with Premadasa questioning how the President, in his capacity as Finance Minister, would deliver the 2027 Budget speech without figures on Ministry-wise expenditure, project progress and foreign investment.

Premadasa sought details on the progress of the 2026 Budget proposals, the funds spent and remaining under each Ministry as at 30 September, and the financial and physical progress against the allocations. He said the information was necessary to assess whether the Government had fulfilled its commitments before the 2027 Budget was presented on 12 November.

He also asked how many Budget proposals had been presented for 2026, the allocation and expenditure for each proposal, and the financial and physical progress made by 30 September.

Premadasa further sought details of special projects listed under 28 sectors in the Finance Ministry’s summary of major public investment projects issued on 7 November last year (2025). These included the domestic and foreign funds allocated to each project, progress by the end of September and targets expected to be achieved in the final quarter of 2026.

The Government was also asked to provide a list of Budget proposals yet to be implemented or completed by the end of the year, together with the remaining allocations, expected expenditure, completion deadlines and the State institutions responsible.

He also asked what would happen to funds left unspent at the end of the year and whether Ministry allocations had been revised or transferred to other purposes during 2026.

The questions further covered development projects funded through foreign aid and loans, including their total approved costs, annual allocations, expenditure to date, progress and expected completion dates.

Premadasa also sought details of measures taken to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2026, the Government’s FDI target for the year and the amount received by 30 September.

Responding, Deputy Finance and Planning Minister Dr Anil Jayantha Fernando said annual performance was usually assessed at the end of the year, while Ministries provided periodic updates through online reporting systems and submitted reports to Parliament.

He said the requested information was not readily available and would take considerable time to compile.

“If the information is required, we can provide it, but, it will take a considerable amount of time to compile. We will not be able to provide the answers today,” he said.

Fernando also said the Government did not follow a zero-based budgeting system, under which allocations were reassessed from the beginning of each financial year, but instead used a performance-based, output-oriented budgeting system.

“Preparing a Budget involves more than looking at how much money was spent in the previous year. We have to consider the current situation, possible future developments, global trends and the strategies that we intend to pursue,” he said.

Premadasa then pointed out that the information was directly relevant to the 2027 Budget, which the President would present to Parliament in about three weeks. He said the Government should already have the figures needed to explain its expenditure, revenue and progress.

“These are the figures that must be used to explain the progress made on expenditure, revenue and implementation when the President presents the 2027 Budget. If the Ministry does not have these answers, how is the President going to deliver the Budget speech?” he asked.