Early Access
FindAllNews.lkbeta
FindAllNews.lkbeta

All budget stories

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

Filters

Clear all

Number of outlets that carried the story

62 stories

15 Sep – 12 Nov 2026
Sinhala mediaClear all

Story summaries are written by AI from the original reports

Monday 28 September

1of 20

Proposals & demands

Removal of VAT on Books a Positive Step - Dinamina

The Sri Lankan government, led by the President, has officially decided to remove the Value Added Tax (VAT) on books and publications in the upcoming budget, an announcement made by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya at the Colombo International Book Fair. This move corrects a "historical mistake" from early 2024, when an 18% VAT was imposed on books, magazines, and printing raw materials under the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration. The previous tax burden caused book prices to soar, turning books into a luxury, deterring readers, and severely impacting the printing and publishing industry, with many small and medium-sized firms facing closure. The decision is lauded as a positive and timely step, bringing Sri Lanka closer to developed nations like the UK, which has 0% VAT on books, and is expected to make books more affordable, encouraging a return to reading. The article also suggests that providing import tax relief for printing paper and ink would further benefit the entire printing industry.

1 of 20 outletsDinaminaReported 28 Sep 2026, 6:30 am

Tuesday 15 September

2of 20

Proposals & demands

Bold Move to Reduce the Educational Burden on the People!

Sri Lanka imposed an 18% VAT on school books and educational materials from January 2024 to boost government revenue after an economic crisis and an IMF agreement. This tax severely impacted students, parents, and the publishing industry by significantly increasing educational costs. In response to widespread calls for relief, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that the VAT on school books would be removed, with plans to be presented in the 2027 budget. This move is expected to alleviate the economic burden on citizens and revitalize the book industry.

2 of 20 outletsDinamina · ThinakaranReported 15 Sep 2026, 9:25 am