Government tabled a budget which worsens people's problems: MP Vijitha Herath

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Government tabled a budget which worsens the problems of the people instead of solving them, says Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna MP Vijitha Herath, while speaking during the debate on the second reading of the 2022 Budget today (13). Speaking at the Parliament, MP Vijitha Herath stated that the budget outline no proper plans for neither development of the nation and nor for the welfare of people, and emphasized that the budget is a precarious one. Pointing out that in the first quarter of 2020, the growth of the services sector dropped by 1.6%, MP Herath said that the economic growth of the entire first quarter had stood at -1.7%. Furthermore, the JVP MP also stated that there is currently a rice mafia in the country, as the cost of rice has increased to Rs. 240 and Rs. 260, and said that the increase was not due to COVID-19. MP Herath also alleged that the sugar mafia was created due to reduction of the import levy on sugar to 25 cents per one kilogram of sugar, and ultimately, the cost of sugar increased to Rs. 240, while the relevant businessmen continue to earn profits. He added that the budget also does not address the issue of Government's loss, which stood at Rs. 15 billion by February 28th, which had increased to about Rs. 60 billion today.