President Mahinda Rajapaksa presented the 2009 Budget on 06 November 2008. The President said that a development programme unforeseen in the past three decades would be implemented in those liberated areas formerly under the control of the Tamil Tigers.
The President also spoke of a new focus on rural development and rural infrastructure such as water supplies to counter the effects of the “neo-liberal globalisation process” followed by Sri Lanka for over 30 years, which “paid economic dividend only to a very small segment of our society”.
Specific water related measures in the new budget included:
- a 20 rupees monthly discount for consumers using less than 15 units of water [benefiting] 150 thousand water consumers.
- totally exemption from VAT for [...] community water supply schemes carried out by community based organizations, with community participation
- an allocation of Rs. 1,680 million for drinking water.
Source: Asian Tribune, 08 Nov 2008
