Colombo:Sri Lanka’s domestic debt optimisation programme was passed by a majority vote, the parliament’s media unit said.
The media unit added that the programme was passed with amendments, and 122 parliamentarians voted in favour of it, while 62 voted against it.
Before being presented in Parliament, the domestic debt optimisation programme was approved by the Parliament’s Committee on Public Finance on Friday and by the cabinet of ministers on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka’s total debt is around $83.6 billion, according to official data. Foreign debt amounts to $41.6 billion, Xinhua news agency reported.
Out of the domestic debt, $25 billion are in treasury bonds, $11 billion in treasury bills, $5.6 billion in development bonds and the rest has been taken from various institutions, mainly the Employment Provident Fund.
(IANS)
