An emergency Rs. 1,000 billion funding vote, cyclone relief pressures, and disaster law reforms reveal why Parliament is being summoned, and why the timing matters.
The government is set to present a massive supplementary estimate of Rs. 1,000 billion at a special parliamentary sitting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, convened to secure urgent funds for Cyclone Ditva relief and recovery operations.
Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne has summoned the House under the Standing Orders of Parliament following a formal request by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya. The move is aimed at obtaining immediate approval for emergency expenditure required to support disaster affected communities, with the relevant gazette notification issued yesterday.
While Podujana Eksath Peramune MP Namal Rajapaksa had earlier called for an emergency parliamentary sitting, government sources stress that the session is being held specifically to address urgent fiscal needs arising from the cyclone aftermath. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake informed Parliament on December 5 that the initial supplementary estimate of Rs. 500 billion had doubled after reassessing welfare payments, housing assistance, and emergency infrastructure repairs.
The supplementary estimate will be debated on December 18 and put to a vote on December 19. Following the vote, Parliament is scheduled to adjourn until January 6, 2026. Officials note that the allocation will cover the 2026–2027 budget period, with certain large scale infrastructure rehabilitation projects expected to extend into 2027.
Immediate funding is required to provide dry rations, housing allowances, land surveys for resettlement of displaced families, and a range of disaster relief and recovery initiatives linked to Cyclone Ditva. Government officials say delays in approving these funds could severely hamper ongoing humanitarian operations.
In parallel, President Dissanayake will convene a special meeting of the National Council for Disaster Management tomorrow. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and representatives of all political parties have been invited to attend. The council, established under the Disaster Management Act No. 13 of 2005 following the 2004 tsunami, has remained largely inactive over the years.
Government sources indicate that several amendments to the Disaster Management Act are required and will be discussed at the council meeting. The President chairs the council, which includes the Prime Minister as deputy chair, the Leader of the Opposition, relevant ministers, provincial leaders, and appointed Members of Parliament or experts.
The council last met in August 2025, when it acknowledged the urgent need to modernize Sri Lanka’s disaster management framework in response to escalating climate related risks.
