Thematic

Targeting Assistance: Electricity Consumption is a Superior Method

As Sri Lanka’s crisis continues, up to 50% or more of the population is likely to need state support, however current targeting through Samurdhi reaches just about a quarter of all households and only 40% of the poorest individuals. As such, this background note by the Verité Research Sri Lanka Economic Policy Group recommends household electricity use as a determinant of eligibility for welfare benefits.

Gender-Responsive Budgeting: Evaluating Key Performance Indicators July 2022

This report highlights the failure of the Sri Lankan government in implementing gender responsive budgeting in Sri Lanka. The case of gender KPIs provides a detailed case study of how poor planning of government policies can lead to poor accountability among implementing agencies. The report highlights the importance of conducting good analysis, ensuring that well-defined frameworks and proper oversight mechanisms are in place before proceeding to implement budgetary policies.

பால்நிலை பொறுப்பு வரவு செலவுத்திட்டத் தயாரிப்பு

இந்த அறிக்கை, இலங்கையில் பால்நிலை பொறுப்பு வரவுசெலவுத் திட்டத்தை நடைமுறைப்படுத்துவதில் இலங்கை அரசாங்கத்தின் தோல்வியை எடுத்துக்காட்டுகிறது.

Restoring Efficient Tax Collection Methods: Withholding Tax and Pay-As-You-Earn

This note by the Verité Research Sri Lanka Economic Policy Group estimates the additional revenue that can be collected from reinstating in Sri Lanka two methods of efficient tax collection that were discontinued in 2020. That is: the withholding tax (WHT) and the pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) methods of tax collection. Without any change in the current, reduced, tax rates, and a WHT of 10% the additional revenue that can be collected is estimated to be 0.70% of GDP (which is LKR 184.2 billion in 2023).

Cigarette Taxation Formula – The Cost of Forgetting

In 2019 the government introduced a policy where taxes and prices on cigarettes would be based on an indexation formula. Forgetting to implement the policy is costly: it has resulted in a foregone revenue of 85 billion from 2020-2022 and will cost a further 45 billion in 2023.

Costs of Doing a Job for Urban Women in Sri Lanka

This study aims to address the knowledge gap on how ‘cost’ factors can affect the choice architecture for women entering or exiting the labour force by estimating the monetary and non-monetary costs of doing a job for urban women in Sri Lanka. Working-age women in the Western province that were categorized as either currently employed, previously employed, or never employed, were sampled through focus group discussions and a detailed survey questionnaire.

De-mystifying the Increase in Sri Lanka’s Debt

This insight explains and navigates five sources of complications in calculating the increase in debt and the sources of debt increment in Sri Lanka over the years.

Hill Country Tamils: Analysis of Legal and Policy Issues Affecting Labour and Governance Structure

This report examines the socio-economic background and history of the Hill Country Tamil community (HCT) with a focus on health, education, labour and their primary engagement in the tea plantation industry. Thereafter, the report dives into the three main drivers of disadvantage that have paved the way to perpetuating the long-standing issues of discrimination and marginalisation in access to state services and major human rights guarantees faced by the HCT communities in this sector.

Public Report on the 2022 Budget: Assessment of the Fiscal, Financial and Economic Assumptions used in the Budget Estimates

This report provides an assessment and analysis of the fiscal, financial and economic assumptions and estimates applied in the formulation of the 2022 Budget.

Charting a Path for Debt Sustainability in Sri Lanka

Since December 2018 Sri Lanka has been subject to three notches down in rating by S&P, Moody’s and Fitch Ratings. This situation is a historical first for Sri Lanka. While many of Sri Lanka’s key macroeconomic indicators have, in the past recorded more negative levels, Sri Lanka has never in the past, been evaluated as being at such a serious level of risk, in terms of defaulting on its debt.