BUDGET 2022 to be presented in Parliament today

COLOMBO (News 1st): The Budget Proposal for 2022 will be presented in parliament today (Nov. 12), by Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa. The second reading of the Appropriation Bill will begin at 2:00 PM today (12). This is the 76th Budget of independent Sri Lanka. The Budget Proposal for 2022 will be the first budget presented after the appointment of Basil Rajapaksa as the Minister of Finance. The debate on the second reading of the Budget will run for seven days; accordingly, the vote on the first Bill is scheduled for the 22nd of November, Dhammika Dasanayake, the Secretary-General of Parliament elaborating on the process of the Budget reading told News 1st. The Committee Stage debate will then commence on the 23rd of November, will be held for 16 days with the final vote on the Bill scheduled for the 10th of December. Arrangements have been made to present this year's Budget debate in sign language as well, on behalf of the hearing-impaired community, Dasanayake further noted. Accordingly, a sign language window telecast simultaneously with the live telecast of the Budget debate will be available today. Meanwhile, everyone will be tested for COVID-19 through Rapid Antigen tests, and only those who return a Negative result will be permitted to enter the Parliamentary premises, Serjeant-at-Arms Narendra Fernando emphasized. According to Fernando, parliamentary sittings will be held in accordance with all health guidelines and regulations during the entire period of the Budget debate.