Ministry Of Health To Expand Local Drug Production

The Ministry Of Health is planned to increase the manufacturing of Medicinal Drugs up to 3500 million tablets annually  from the present annual production of 1200 million tablets to meet the local demand.Under this plan Ministry aims to increased the annual Drug Production of  State Pharmaceuticals Corporation(SPMC) to meet 75 percent of  local demand according to Ministry sources.

In view of this SPMC yesterday opened a new Drug manufacturing Unit to increase it's production.At present the SPMC produced 63 varieties of Drugs and released to the market under the generic name.

Meanwhile the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation which imported the Drugs for Government Hospitals expand their Distribution Services with opening new Drug Stores in five cities with the cost of Rs.150 million.

Main Opposition UNP To Vote Against The Budget

The Secretary of the main opposition  United National Party(UNP) Tissa Attanayake said today that his party decided to vote against the Government's 2011 Budget Proposals as it failed to met people's expectations.Government totally failed to deliver goods to the people as promised he stressed.

Addressing a media briefing in Colombo today UNP Secretary said that although Government failed to give concessions to the people it spent millions of rupees to maintain a jumbo Cabinet.Sri Lanka's Cabinet is the largest Cabinet in the world he further added.

The Debate On Second Reading Of The Budget Began Today

The debate on the second reading of Government's 2011 Budget is began today and will continue till 29th of November.The voting for the second reading will  be held in eve of 29th of November.

The Committee level Budget Debate will begin in 30th of November and continue till 10th of December.The Final voting for the Budget will take place in Parliament in eve of 10th of December.

President Wants Newly Appointed Cabinet Ministers To Stop Criticizing Their Predecessors

After  Newly Appointed Cabinet Members took their oaths this morning President Mahinda Rajapaksha had advised the Cabinet Ministers avoid criticizing their predecessors and work to end corruption in their ministries.He also praised the two deputy ministers who turned down the offered Ministerial Posts to them and remained as Deputy Ministers.

More From The Budget

While announcing that all the BOI(Board Of Investment) Projects failed to initiate during last five years should submit fresh applications President Mahinda Rajapaksha said during his Budget Speech that the two locally based  International Air Lines the Sri Lankan and Mihin Air Lines will exempted from taxes to increase the profits of those Air Lines  within next 10 years.


Except this the other Benefits offered from the Budget includes removing all taxes imposed on importing medicines and medical supplies completely ,granting Rs.100,000 for every third child born in a Soldiers Family and allocating three billion rupees for the economic welfare of the Soldiers.

59 Member New Cabinet Sworn In

New Cabinet of the present government compromising 59 Members took their oaths before President Mahinda Rajapaksha this morning at Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.Ten Deputy Ministers were promoted as Ministers and the subject stream of some ministries too changed.

Electricity And Income Licence Taxes Increased

Under the new budget proposals the tax imposed on consumers consuming more then 90 units of electricity will be increased by 10 percent from next year.

Meanwhile Annual Income License Tax  is increased by 10 percent.