One minister more means more cash out of your pocket

By Nalaka Nonis

State expenditure to maintain ministers is bound to increase further with another minister being recently appointed by the Mahinda Rajapaksa government. With the appointment of UNP MP Mahinda Ratnathilake as non-Cabinet Minister of Textile Development, the number of Cabinet ministers stands at 52, deputy ministers at 20 and non-cabinet ministers at 36 giving a jumbo total of 108.

Taking into account the allocations for ministers show government needs to spend a huge Rs. 4.8 million to maintain a single minister a year apart from the funds required to upkeep ministerial staff.

Apart from a minister’s salary other entitlements he or she is paid include fuel, telephone, transport, overseas travel and entertainment allowances.

In some cases the government also pays Rs.1 million as rental annually for vehicles rented by ministers. Adding further financial burden on state coffers, the President’s Office through a new circular this month increased fuel allowances given to ministers and deputy ministers.

According to this circular a minister who lives outside the Western Province is entitled to a monthly fuel allowance of Rs. 175,000 for two petrol vehicles and Rs. 90,000 for two diesel vehicles used by the minister.

A minister is also given a monthly fuel allowance of Rs. 45,000 for his back-up vehicle. A minister living within the Western Province is entitled to a monthly fuel allowance of Rs. 117,000 for two petrol vehicles and Rs. 60,000 for two diesel vehicles with a monthly fuel allowance of Rs. 30,000 for the back-up vehicle.

In addition to what’s paid to a minister the government needs at least Rs. 1.5 million annually to maintain four members of a minister’s personal staff that include a private secretary, coordinating secretary, media secretary and public relations officer, though a minister is entitled to a personal staff of 15 while a deputy minister is entitled to 10. A minister’s personal staff is also entitled to five official vehicles while a deputy minister’s staff to three.