The UPFA and its allies voted in favour while the UNP, DNA and TNA voted against.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa joining the final day of committee stage debate of the Appropriation Bill yesterday stated that it was proved that the budget proposals for 2012 are development-oriented by the response of the people to them and the research conducted by various institutions on the budget’s impact.

President Rajapaksa also stated that research conducted by the Financial Times, which is a reputed magazine in the finance and economic field, has revealed that 64 percent of the people in the country maintained that this budget was people-friendly.

He added that this was a positive response received by the budget as well as the government.

The President also stated that a sum of Rs 500 billion has been allocated for development work in 2012 only, which is 44 percent of the expected Inland Revenue. He also added that 25,000 youth are to be recruited to the public service including 15,000 graduates.

He also said Foreign Direct Investment into the island has already exceeded a record $1 billion this year.

He emphasized that this nation has to regain everything that it lost.