UPFA submits budget

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 November 2005, 13:04 GMT]
Finance Minister of the United Peoples Alliance (UPFA) government, Dr Sarath Amunugama, submitted Tuesday afternoon the second and the last budget under the Presidency of Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge in Sri Lanka Parliament, parliamentary sources said. Opposition United National Party (UNP), Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) boycotted the event.



UPFA presidential candidate Primer Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa and foreign minister Anura Bandaranayake including senior cabinet ministers of UPFA government attended the sessions.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians were present during the proceedings.

Finance Minister Dr.Sarath Amunugama said that the budget is targetted for an eight percent growth in the country's economy.

The areas around the Sri Jayawardenepura Parliament complex was heavily guarded to prevent incidence of violence by potential protesters.

The seats of the UNP, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the Ceylon Workers Congress at the House remained vacant when the Finanace Minister presented the budget.

It was the first time in Sri Lanka's democratic history that a budget was presented without the presence of the main Opposition parties.

The parties which were at the Parliament today were ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party and it's allies JVP, and the Jathika Hela Urumaya.

Meanwhile, the UNP criticised the UPFA for presenting the budget before the Presidential poll and vowed that after UNP's presidential candidate is elected on November 17, UNP will present a new budget.