Kegalle District SJB MP Kabir Hashim yesterday accused the Government citing that the budget of Presidents Ranil Wickremesinghe and Anura Kumara Dissanayake are the same.

Hashim said the Interim Vote on Account presented yesterday allocated the same amount to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for the first four months of 2025 as was allocated to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for the first four months of 2024.

Hashim stated this while speaking during the debate on the Government’s interim budget. 

NPP MP Lakmali Hemachandra responding to the allegation made by MP Kabir Hashim said in Parliament that the US$ 1,300 million given to the Presidential Secretariat by the World Food Programme is included in the President’s expenditure head, and when all of that is added up, it has been equal to former President’s Ranil Wickremesinghe’s expenditure head. 

She said that the budget for President’s personal staff has been reduced by 64 percent this time. 

MP Kabir Hashim said that the NPP continued to accuse the former President of having too many privileges.

But there is no visible difference in the interim budget presented by the NPP Government.

In 2024, Rs. 1.4 trillion has been allocated for former Presidents under the Presidential Expenditure Head from January to April. In 2025, the same amount of Rs.1.4 trillion has been allocated to the present President from this interim budget from January to April. 

There is no difference in that amount. So what is the difference?” asked MP Hashim.

(DailyNews)

(This story, originally published by DailyNews has not been edited by SLM staff)