Marxist party of Sri Lanka says government has failed to provide relief to people

Sri Lanka's Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today said the government has failed to provide any relief to the people in its budget proposals for 2011.

JVP parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake told the media that while the masses had high expectations of receiving some form of relief in the 2011 budget, the government has only added to the burdens already shouldered by them.

He said the government has failed to keep its promises.

Dissanayake noted that although the government has opened many power stations promising cheap power, it is now going to increase electricity tariffs.

"The government has even failed to grant the promised salary increase of Rs. 2,500," he said.

Dissanayake also charged that although the government has increased the number of ministries, it has failed to allocate funds for the additional ministries in the 2011 budget.

"Therefore, about 19 ministries will not have any finances allocated to them," he said.