A heated debate had broken out between Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Power and Energy Minister Ravi Karunanayake at the Cabinet meeting last morning over a Cabinet paper to draw USD 1000 million from the National Savings Bank. 

Samaraweera presented a cabinet paper to draw money from the state bank for debt repayment, informed government sources told Asian Mirror. 

Before presenting the Cabinet paper, Samaraweera had discussed the matter with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

Karunanayake, however, objected to the Cabinet paper on the basis that the savings of the ordinary people should not be "risked" to repay foreign debt. 

The former Finance Minister said alternative ways should be explored to find money for debt repayment. 

The Cabinet paper was passed despite objections by Karunanayake. 

It was reported that there was a tug of war between Samaraweera and Karunanayake over the Finance Ministry before the appointment of the new Cabinet. Samaraweera threatened that he would sit in the opposition, if he was not given the Finance Ministry.