Sri Lanka's 2027 budget to focus heavily on rural economic empowerment: President
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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said Sri Lanka's 2027 budget will focus heavily on rural economic empowerment, including high-speed communication and modern road infrastructure, to address rural poverty.
Speaking at the launch of the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2026 on Monday (12), he noted rural poverty accounts for roughly 80 percent of the nation's poor, with rural communities tied to smallholder agriculture, seasonal labor, and informal enterprises.
He acknowledged the social safety net has grown excessively due to a failure to create new economic opportunities for rural populations, whose activities are limited to agriculture, fisheries, and small village shops. He stressed that eradicating rural poverty requires a long-term, sustained, structured plan, not quick fixes.
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How the story developed
- EPresident Dissanayake announced tax breaks and construction grants to expand rural telecommunications infrastructure.
- EPresident Dissanayake announced plans to reduce state land allocation delays for key national projects.
- සිMinister Jayatissa announced salary increments for government employees and tax relief starting in January.
- EThe Fisheries Ministry identified poor cold chains and handling as causes for fish quality degradation.
