Treasury has paid last year dues of Rs.84 bn for various projects

Apr 25, 2019 (LBO) – The Treasury has paid off Rs.84,461 million which were due by December 31, 2018, for various programmes and projects implemented under different Government ministries and institutions. Statement from the Finance Ministry Earlier, Treasury had been informed that Rs.99,415 million was due at December 31, 2018, for completing various projects undertaken by various government institutions. Treasury Secretary, Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga stated that 85% out of the total due payment has already been paid off.

 He said there are some shortcomings in the balance and, action will be taken to pay off it once such shortcoming is cleared. Having completed various contracts, constructions and procurements, Government ministries and other institutions forward their vouchers to the treasury for payment by the end of the month of December each year. Treasury has been continuously making payments for such vouchers within the first 3 – 4 months of the following year since 2015. However, there was a delay in making such payments as did in the past, in the last Quarter of 2018 due to the uncertainty that hit the country. At the same time, the passing of the budget 2019 could not be achieved in the year 2018.

It was delayed until April 5th, 2019. Consequent to this delay, the sum of due payments at the end of the year 2018 was accumulated unprecedently up to 99 billion rupees. Accordingly, this also caused a delay in the settlement of payments for the year 2018.

On the advice of Finance Minister, Mangala Samaraweera, the Public Finance Department of the Treasury has been making arrangements to digitalize the Government Procurement System. Therefore, as commenced in the year 2015, the treasury will be able to make all future due payments for government procurements soon after such particular projects are completed.