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Govt. says Rs. 500 b post-Ditwah spending plan within 2026 borrowing limits
Daily FT
|December 18, 2025
Parliament to consider Rs. 500 b Supplementary Estimate for 2026 at special sitting today Supplementary allocation to increase primary expenditure from Rs. 7.16 t to Rs. 7.66 t Rs. 100 b allocated for housing, Rs. 250 b for infrastructure, Rs. 150 b for livelihoods Finance Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando says move well within Govt.'s fiscal space Funding comes from reallocated capital spending, excess revenue, Treasury funds and aid Assures additional spending kept within 2026 debt ceiling of Rs. 3.74 t Projects 5% GDP growth for 2026 Revenue agencies exceed targets by Rs. 400 b, containing budget deficit despite relief spending
Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando
(Pic by Upul Abayasekara)
THE Government yesterday said the proposed Rs. 500 billion Supplementary Estimate for post-Cyclone Ditwah recovery will be funded through reallocated capital spending, excess revenue, Treasury resources, and external assistance, while remaining fully within the 2026 debt ceiling and the available fiscal space.
Gover Addressing a special media briefing organised by Information Department, Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando said the scale of destruction caused by the worst natural disaster in over two decades had underscored the need not merely to replace what was lost, but to improve on it.
"When we reconstruct, we have to make something that is better than what it was. The Government is confident that Sri Lanka will rebuild better and stronger," he said, stressing that recovery efforts would prioritise durability, sustainability, and resilience.
He announced that the Government will convene a special sitting of Parliament today (18) and tomorrow to seek approval for a Rs. 500 billion Supplementary Estimate for 2026. The allocation is intended to expand the State's capacity to meet immediate humanitarian needs while accelerating reconstruction and longer-term recovery.
This story is from the December 18, 2025 edition of Daily FT.
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