A massive interim budget is being rushed through Parliament as Sri Lanka scrambles to rebuild lives, repair shattered infrastructure, and stabilize livelihoods after Cyclone Ditwah.
The government is set to present a Rs. 500 billion interim budget to Parliament today, December 18, less than a month after the 2026 national budget was passed, raising questions over urgency, funding, and priorities.
Minister of Labor and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Anil Jayantha, explained that the interim budget is being introduced based on three critical needs arising from the widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah. He said the allocation is aimed at providing immediate relief to families who lost their homes, restoring damaged infrastructure such as highways and bridges, and improving the living standards of people affected by the disaster.
Under the proposed interim budget, Rs. 100 billion has been allocated specifically to compensate families whose houses were damaged or destroyed. A further Rs. 250 billion will be directed toward the reconstruction and development of infrastructure facilities, including severely damaged highways, bridges, and related public assets. The remaining Rs. 150 billion has been earmarked to support measures aimed at restoring livelihoods and improving living standards across affected communities.
Dr. Anil Jayantha noted that the government is compelled to act swiftly given the scale of destruction and the immediate needs of displaced families. He made these remarks during a media briefing held at the Government Information Department on December 17.
Addressing concerns about funding, the Deputy Finance Minister stressed that the government does not intend to raise taxes or seek additional loans to finance the Rs. 500 billion allocation. Responding to a journalist’s question, he said that unused and remaining funds within the Ministry of Finance will be reallocated for this purpose. He also assured that the government does not plan to exceed the borrowing limits already approved by Parliament.
In parallel, the government has decided to convene an international aid conference to mobilize additional financial support for national reconstruction following Cyclone Ditwah. This decision was taken by the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Committee, which has been tasked with coordinating recovery efforts.
According to Dr. Anil Jayantha, the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund has already received over Rs. 4 billion through special bank accounts opened by the government to collect donations for disaster relief.
Meanwhile, Parliament convened at 9.30 am today to proceed with steps required to approve the supplementary estimate. Parliament is scheduled to sit on both December 18 and 19, with the adjournment debate on the post-disaster situation postponed until 5.30 pm today.
The House is expected to sit from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm on Friday, December 19, when the Rs. 500 billion supplementary estimate will be debated and put to a vote, marking a critical moment in Sri Lanka’s post-Ditwah recovery efforts.
