The Appropriation Bill for fiscal year 2024 will be submitted to Parliament in the second week of October and the second reading of the budget will be presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe on November 13, State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.

He said the debate on the second reading of the budget will be held from November 14 to 21 and the voting on the second reading is scheduled to be held in the afternoon of the 21st. 

The vote on the Third Reading is scheduled to be held on December 13.

After the adoption of the budget, it is to be passed into law by December 27 with the Speaker's approval, and after December 31, the allocation of funds for government expenses will be made through the new budget, the State Minister said.

He said the government has paid more attention to health, education and welfare expenditure in this year's budget.

The minister also said that this year the welfare expenditure which was about Rs. 65 billion has increased to about Rs. 185 billion.