Parliamentary budget office to expose reality of election manifestos: Siyambalapitiya

The soon to be established Parliamentary Budget Office will provide an opportunity to uncover the reality of popular proposals in election manifestos, according to State Minister of Finance

Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.
Parliament Budget Office Bill was passed in parliament yesterday with amendments.
Joining the parliamentary debate on the said Bill yesterday, Siyambalapitiya said the establishment of a budget office in parliament is a victory for democracy.

Siyambalapitiya highlighted that the implementation of proposals from ruling party budgets and election manifestos lacks transparency, with details often disclosed at the last-minute during budget speeches.  Hence, he said the establishment of a budget office in parliament will provide unbiased financial analysis for any member of parliament, shedding light on the feasibility of proposed initiatives. He pointed out that past budget proposals have shown varying rates of implementation, with 72 percent implemented in 2017, 87 percent in 2018, 74 percent in 2019, and 72 percent in 2021.  The new budget office aims to enhance accountability and empower MPs to make informed decisions regarding proposed budget allocations.