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All budget stories

Every story on the 2027 budget, grouped from 20 Sri Lankan outlets in English, Sinhala and Tamil.

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93 stories

13 Sep – 12 Nov 2026
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Story summaries are written by AI from the original reports

Monday 5 October

Saturday 3 October

Thursday 1 October

1of 20

Parliament & votes

Sri Lanka's 2027 Budget to be presented Nov 12, final vote Dec 14

Sri Lanka's 2027 Budget will be presented in Parliament on 12 November 2026 by the President in his capacity as Finance Minister, with the final vote scheduled for 14 December. The timetable was approved by the Committee on Parliamentary Business, chaired by Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne, on 25 September. The Appropriation Bill's First Reading is set for 7 October, followed by the Budget Speech (Second Reading) and a seven-day debate from 13 to 20 November, with a vote at 6 p.m. on 20 November. The Committee Stage, debating allocations ministry by ministry, runs for 19 days from 21 November to 14 December, with the Third Reading vote at 6 p.m. on 14 December. During the Second Reading, the Government gets 60% of debate time and the Opposition 40%, a split that reverses during the Committee Stage. Parliament will sit daily, except Sundays and public holidays, with debates from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

1 of 20 outletsFT.lkReported 1 Oct 2026, 5:33 am

Wednesday 30 September

1of 20

Proposals & demands

Budget 2027: Time to review tax-free threshold for salaried taxpayers? | Daily FT

An opinion piece ahead of Budget 2027 argues that Sri Lanka should review the tax-free threshold for salaried taxpayers, saying salaried employees are taxed at source and feel the impact immediately. It notes that personal relief was increased to Rs. 1.8 million a year from the assessment year beginning 1 April 2025, with employment income above Rs. 150,000 a month also relevant to the threshold. The article says salaried workers—teachers, health professionals, engineers, bankers, public officers, managers and technicians—are essential to the economy and deserve greater personal relief. It calls for the threshold to be reconsidered in the upcoming Budget 2027.

1 of 20 outletsFT.lkReported 30 Sep 2026, 5:53 am

1of 20

Parliament & votes

Sri Lanka’s Budget process gives public too few opportunities to participate: Verité Research | Daily FT

Verité Research said Sri Lanka scored 9 out of 100 for public participation in the International Budget Partnership’s Open Budget Survey 2025, reflecting too few formal opportunities for citizens to influence how public money is raised, allocated and spent. The survey also gave Sri Lanka 43 for transparency and 56 for oversight. Participation opportunities exist only during Budget formulation and audit: the Finance Ministry invites proposals annually and the National Audit Office accepts public suggestions and complaints, but there are no formal mechanisms during parliamentary approval or implementation. Verité noted that while disclosure has improved since the Public Financial Management Act, No. 44 of 2024, participation arrangements remain weak, and the score has fluctuated from 11 in 2017 to 19 in 2021, 7 in 2023 and 9 in 2025.

1 of 20 outletsFT.lkReported 30 Sep 2026, 5:30 am

Saturday 26 September

1of 20

Taxes & revenue

Govt. mulls increasing personal tax threshold to Rs. 200,000 | Daily FT

The Sri Lankan government is committed to increasing the monthly personal income tax-free threshold to Rs. 200,000, as promised in its election manifesto, with Economic Development Deputy Minister Nishantha Jayaweera stating this move is contingent on strengthening state revenue. This follows a previous increase from Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 150,000, equivalent to an annual threshold of Rs. 1.8 million, and comes as President and Finance Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced tax relief in the 2027 Budget. While the government aims to reduce tax rates and broaden the tax base, the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) noted that government revenue rose from 8.2% of GDP in 2022 to 16.6% in 2025 but cautioned against immediate tax cuts due to challenges like uneven compliance. The IPS recommends that after the current IMF program ends in 2027, revenue strategies should prioritize increasing the share of direct taxes over the current 40:60 direct-to-indirect ratio by broadening the tax base and improving compliance.

1 of 20 outletsFT.lkReported 26 Sep 2026, 5:33 am

Thursday 24 September

Thursday 17 September

1of 20

Salaries & welfare

Prison officers’ salaries, allowances to get attention in Budget: Minister - Breaking News | Daily Mirror

Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara announced on September 17 that the Government is considering increasing the salaries and allowances of prison officers in the upcoming Budget. This statement was made during a discussion at Dumbara Prison, following the establishment of a joint mechanism covering the Dumbara-Bogambara Prison and the Pallekele Open Prison, where Nanayakkara also inspected premises and spoke with inmates. Joint mechanisms will be established at all prisons to ensure a coordinated emergency response to possible conflict situations and streamline inmate welfare activities. These mechanisms will bring together institutions including the Department of Prisons, Police, Navy, Air Force, Water Supply Board, and Fire Department. Attendees included Kandy and Matale Districts Deputy Inspector General of Police Sudath Marasinghe, Kandy Additional District Secretary Lalith Ampawala, and Dumbara-Bogambara Prison Superintendent L.P. Warnakulasuriya.

1 of 20 outletsDaily MirrorReported 17 Sep 2026, 11:26 pm

Wednesday 16 September

1of 20

Spending & allocations

Development projects over Rs.2 trillion planned for 2027

The Sri Lankan government plans to undertake development projects worth Rs. 2 trillion for the 2027 financial year. To prevent typical delays in project implementation, state institutions are now instructed to begin planning, preparing estimates, and initiating procurement activities *before* the annual budget is passed. This new approach aims to allow contract awarding to occur at the start of the year, rather than late in the year, ensuring timely execution of the significant development expenditure.

1 of 20 outletsDaily NewsReported 16 Sep 2026, 1:30 am