Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake reiterates the need to set up a centralized unit under his ministry to review the overheads of different government ministries. The minister point out that setting up the centralized unit under the Ministry of Finance is more pragmatic. Minister Karunanayake stated this during a meeting which was held on yesterday with the participation of secretaries of all government ministries at the Ministry of Finance. The discussion was centered on how to implement the proposals made by Budget 2017.

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake asked all ministry secretaries to collect allocations for proposed capital projects and start relevant projects immediately. He further said respective funds will be released with effect from January 1st 2017.

Meanwhile, a report on the expenses of each ministry should be submitted to the Cabinet after every three months and, instructions were given to ministry secretaries to take necessary steps to find the most suitable action to solve any problem if any.

Year 2017 has been identified as the entry point toward building a strong economy thereby eradicating poverty from this country. Therefore, the professional skills of public servants will be taken into serious consideration in this effort to make the government development scheme a success, Minister Karunanayake pointed out.

All ministries should maintain transparency when they implement respective development projects under the National Planning Policy. In the meantime, Finance Minister Karunanayake reiterated that additional funds will be granted under supplementary estimates for only disaster situations in 2017.

Ministry secretaries including Secretary to the President P.B. Abeykoon, Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi and Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga and Advisor to the Prime Minister R. Paskaralingam also participated in the discussion.