Cabinet Spokesman and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena said that the estimated expenses of all ministries will be cut by five percent in 2023. Speaking at the Cabinet media briefing held at the Government Information Department, he said the President had to take this decision reluctantly because the country is stuck in a place where foreign loan assistance cannot be obtained.
He said that the government and the Finance Ministry are working to pay public employee salaries, pensions and Samurdhi allowances by using all strategies and tactics but Samurdhi benefits will be delayed by one or two weeks, the Minister said.
He said that money has been allocated for all ministries in the 2023 budget document and it is difficult to cut down recurring expenses. Therefore the cut is mostly made from capital expenses.
Minister Gunawardena said that even though it is difficult to cut employee salaries, travel expenses, day-to-day running costs, of a ministry, efforts will be made to reduce such expenses as well. He also recalled what he had done.
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