By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana   

Parliament yesterday approved Budget 2024 thus giving approval for the reforms recommended by the IMF just a day after its second tranche under the extended fund facility.   
The third reading of the budget therefore was approved by a majority of 41 votes with 122 members voting in favour and 81 against. Some 21 members were absent during the time of voting. MP C. V. Vigneswaran abstained from voting. SLPP Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa voted in favour while MP Namal Rajapaksa was absent. Suspended MPs Diana Gamage, Rohana Bandara and Sujith Sanjaya Perera were allowed to vote. Ms. Gamage voted in favour while MPs Bandara and Perera voted against. Former Minister Roshan Ranasinghe also voted against.   

State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya who wound up the committee stage debate said a sum of Rs 1000 billion has been allocated for the needy people in the budget. “Those who are voting against the budget are ignorant and do not want to see the country stabilizing its economy. Referring to the opening of income tax files, the State Minister said the “Opening of income tax files is a move towards the future and there will be no tracing of income earnings in the past,” the Minister said.