Nov 12, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna says that the government's budget presented for next year lacked a future vision for the country and fails to provide any relief to the masses.

Tilvin Silva, General Secretary of the JVP speaking at a media conference yesterday said the 2013 budget has not mentioned anything regarding the future of the country or the economic development.

It has mentioned only the income and expenditure and nothing about government’s economic vision or future programmes of the government, Silva noted.

Normally a budget is a document that contains broad economic strategies, policies, economic development and the future programmes, Silva said adding that the budget proposals presented by President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been compiled according to the conditions of the IMF (international Monetary Fund).

"It is a big deception," the JVP General Secretary said.

However, financial organizations in the country have commended the 2013 budget as a step in the right direction.

The Pathfinder Foundation, a think tank in Sri Lanka, praised the government for not succumbing to the temptation of providing large-scale hand-outs that are unaffordable.

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said it is encouraged by the commitment to fiscal discipline displayed in Budget 2013.

However, according to the JVP politician, the 2013 budget gives relief to only racketeers and owners of black money and not to the working masses.

He noted that the working masses - the employees of the state, private and estate sectors asked for a salary increase but the government has ignored them and only a Rs. 1,500 has been granted as cost of living relief.

The JVP General Secretary said the party opposes this budget and hopes to launch a series of agitations to win the rights of the masses.

"Masses can win their rights only through struggle. This government would not allow masses anything without a struggle. We ask the masses to rally to win rights," he urged.