Srilanka, Feb. 19 -- A top economist yesterday raised concerns over a potential procurement corruption process or gross misrepresentation in the government's 2025 budget, particularly regarding public sector salaries and defence expenditure.

Verite Research Executive Director Dr. Nishan de Mel highlighted a staggering Rs. 135 billion allocation under a defence sector budgetary line item, which he termed a possible "systematic concealment of public sector costs" from the general public.

Dr. de Mel referred to the increased budgetary allocation under the defence expenditure procurement category Diets and Uniforms, which rose from Rs. 70.7 billion in 2023 to Rs. 101 billion in 2024 and Rs. 135 billion in 2025, reflecting a 33 percent annu...