Increase PAYE Tax threshold from Rs 100,000 to Rs 200,000: Eran

Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Eran Wickramaratne urged the government to protect the middle class by increasing the existing PAYE tax threshold of Rs one hundred thousand to at least two hundred thousand immediately. 

He suggested that the proposed loss of revenue from PAYE could be offset by increasing the tax percentage of high-income earners.

People are forced to come to the streets, as they have been burdened with heavy taxes while the working people have lost their income. As a result, food insecurity, increased malnutrition and prevention of diseases have become a big problem for the people, said MP Wickramaratne.

Speaking at a Media briefing at the Office of the Leader of Opposition today, he also requested the President and the government to protect the middle-class employees by increasing the existing PAYE tax threshold from existing Rs One hundred thousand to Two hundred thousand immediately without pushing the middle-income earner as dependent who are now looking after their own affairs. 
“As it is estimated to lose around Rs.4 billion by this increase, he said he would suggest to the government that this amount could be recovered by increasing the threshold of high-income earners,” he added. 

As an extension of the situation that prevailed in the year 2021, until today, due to the continuous economic decline in the country amidst political instability, people have had to skip meals that has led to malnutrition of our younger generation. This also affects the intellectual level, physical and mental development of children, the MP noted. “The current government's economic model has been that the haves have no issues at all and the have-not have nothing for their survival, they are facing difficulties in every way,”