President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is presenting the Budget 2025 in Parliament at the moments.

Here’s key points of the President’s Budget speech:

By the end of 2024, the new government maintained foreign exchange reserves at USD 6.1 billion despite debt restructuring payments.

GDP growth for 2025 is expected to be approximately 5%.

• A new Customs Act will be introduced.
• Unused state lands will be utilised through public-private partnerships.
• By the end of 2024, the new government maintained foreign exchange reserves at USD 6.1 billion despite making payments related to debt restructuring.
• National tarrif policiy will be introduced.
• The Economic Transformation Act will be amended.
• The Digital ID project will be established soon. The government believes it is the foundation of the country’s digitalisation.
• A Digital Economy Authority will be established.
• Data protection laws and institutions will be strengthened.
• National Exports Development Plan will be formed for 2025 – 2029
• Anuradhapura will be rebranded as a tourist city to boost tourism and Rs 500 million will be invested in development of infrastructure in tourist resort areas.
• New measures will be introduced to ensure the protection of tourists.
• A development bank for entrepreneurs will be established. As a first step, a new administrative structure will be formed within the current state banking system for the development loan scheme.
• Rs 1000 million will be allocated for afund for R&D.
• Expressions of Interest will be called for the Colombo West and North projects within a month.
• Digital ticketing for tourism will be introduced with a allocation of Rs. 500 million.
• New dry port will be constructed in Veyangoda.
•  Rs. 7,500 million has been allocated for providing nutrition packs to pregnant women.
• Rs. 5,000 million has been allocated for the supply of Thriposha.
• Money has not been allocated for MPs’ vehicles this year. They will not get the vehicle permits either.
• Rs. 1,000 million has been allocated to supply meals for school children.
• Mahapola Scholarships to increase from Rs.5,000 to Rs.7,500
• Rs. 500 million has been allocated for the project to review the school system.
• Rs 185 billion to allocated for purchase of drugs and medical equipment
• Rs. 200 million has been allocated to establish an autism treatment center at Lady Ridgeway Hospital.
• Rs. 120 million allocated for women’s empowerment programs
• Rs. 604 billion will be allocated for the health sector, highest ever budgetary allocation in the country’s history.
• Monthly scholarship allowance awarded to Grade 5 students to be increased from Rs 750 to Rs 1,500
• Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) Act will be amended to regulate the collection of paddy and rice.
• Rs. 2,500 million will be allocated for the development of the dairy sector.
• Monthly allowance for kidney patients will be increased from Rs. 7,500 to Rs. 10,000.
• Allowance for low-income senior citizens will be increased from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000.
• Rs 250 million to be allocated to support the production of ceylon cinnamon and other local products
• Rs. 250 million will be allocated for the purchase of vehicles to transport institutionalised children to courts.
• Rs. 1,000 million will be allocated for child welfare at children’s homes.
• Each child in children’s homes will receive Rs. 2,000 credited to their account monthly. Guardians of these children will receive Rs. 3,000 per month.
• Rs. 232.5 million will be allocated for the Aswesuma welfare programme.
• Rs. 3,000 million will be allocated to procure 100 low-floor buses to be operated in urban areas of Colombo.
• Rs 250 million will be allocated for the preliminary work of the proposed expansion of the Kelaniweli railway line from Avissawella to Ratnapura.
• Rs. 500 million will be allocated for the program to eliminate the drug menace.
• Rs. 1,000 million will be allocated for the supply of a package of dry rations through Sathosa outlets for the festive season
• The compensation given to victims of natural disasters will be increased from Rs. 250,000 to Rs. 1 million.
• Rs 500 million will be allocated for railway transportation modernization
• Proposals to be presented for the economic development of the Eastern Province, with plans to secure support from the Indian government.
• Rs. 1,000 million will be allocated for the development of rural bridges, and Rs. 5,000 million will be allocated for rural roads and bridges in the Northern Province.
• Rs. 5,000 million will be allocated for the Clean Sri Lanka program.
• Rs. 1,000 million will be allocated for the development of rural bridges, while Rs. 5,000 million will be allocated for rural roads and bridges in the Northern Province.
• A new program will be developed to address the long-standing debt of SriLankan Airlines.
• Rs. 1,000 million will be allocated to begin the construction of the Vadduvakal Bridge.
• A housing scheme of 108 units will be constructed in Kottawa Palathuruwatte, funded by the Chinese government, for artists and journalists.
• Rs 300 million to be allocated for hold ‘National Cultural Festival.’ It will be initiated in November and launched in December in which Sri Lanka have the highest number of tourist arrivals. This festival will be organized with the participation of the private sector.
• A salary increase for public sector employees, raising the basic salary from Rs. 24,250 to Rs. 40,000.
• Rs. 110 billion will be allocated for salary increases this year.
• Private sector employers have agreed to increase the basic salary of private sector employees from Rs. 21,000 to Rs. 27,000 starting in April this year, with a further increase to Rs. 30,000 by January 2026.
• Rs. 10,000 million will be allocated for state sector recruitment.
• Payment of a daily wage of Rs. 1,700 for plantation workers to be implemented.
• Rs. 250 million will be allocated in 2025 to expand awareness and counselling services for students and adolescents.