Parliament clueless about ministerial salaries, etc.

By Saman Indrajith

Salaries of ministers differ and Parliament is not aware of the exact amount drawn by each of them, for they are paid by their ministries.

Contacted for comment, COPF Chairman SJB MP Dr Harsha de Silva said that he could give exact details of the salary and allowances he received but he was not aware of the exact amount received by a Minister as each of them received a different amount.

Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the amount received by each Minister was different as allowances differed. In a Ministry that had offices and branches in all districts, allowances a Minister was entitled to could be different from others.

Chief Government Whip Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga could not comment on the issue immediately.

SLPP dissident MP Gevindu Cumaratunga, too, said that the amounts received by the MPs were different and he he could disclose the amount he received.

According to the official website of Parliament, an MP draws Rs. 54,285 as the fixed salary with a fuel allowance of Rs. 30,000, Transport Allowance of Rs. 10,000, and Entertainment Allowance of Rs. 1,000 and hand phone allowance of Rs. 2,000 a month in addition to Rs, 500 for every parliamentary session. Each MP is also entitled to a monthly office allowance of Rs 100,000, telephone allowance of Rs 50,000 and transport allowance for personal staff of Rs 10,000 for four personal staff to office. At the start of each term an MP has an allowance to purchase office equipment, such as a computer, copier and fax machine. In addition, each MP is paid Rs 2,500 as sitting allowance a day and Rs 2,500 allowance for attending each committee meeting. Each MP is entitled for Rs 350,000 worth of stamps as postage facilities per year.

Fuel allowances are paid to Ministers and MPs based on the distance from Parliament to the electoral district in which an MP is elected from and the approved market price of one litre of diesel on the first day of every month, sources said.

In addition to these allowances, each MP is entitled to a duty-free vehicle permit every five years, valued at more than 50 million rupees.