PARLIAMENT

Hon. (Ms.) Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney at Law,—To ask the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development,— (1)

(a) Will he inform this House —

(i) whether he is aware that Mr. Peter Breuer, IMF's Senior Mission Chief for Sri Lanka, stated during the media briefing held on 23.11.2024 that Sri Lanka has not reached the targets set for it by the IMF in terms of social spending;

(ii) of the total amount of funds allocated by the Budget for 2024 for the beneficiaries of Asvesuma, the elderly, the people with chronic illnesses, and the disabled citizens;

(iii) of the amount which had been spent out of the aforesaid funds as at 23.11.2024;

(iv) how much it is as a percentage;

(v) of the amount of money that had been allocated for social spending for the year 2024 according to the target set by the IMF for it; and

(vi) of the reasons for not allocating the funds concerned for the purpose adequately?

(b) If not, why?