Three white elephants to cost Rs. 60 m. a month

While many political analysts consider the provincial councils which were meant to decentralise power, are in fact white elephants duplicating functions and serving little purpose, it is learnt more than Rs. 60 million would be incurred monthly by the Government to maintain the 114 members elected on September 8 to the Eastern, Sabaragamuwa and North-Central Provincial Councils.

While the monthly salary of a Minister would be Rs. 63,500, a provincial councillor would receive a monthly salary of Rs. 29,500.

Each Minister will be allocated a monthly fuel allowance of 800 litres while provincial councillors will get a fuel allowance ranging from 200 to 250 litres or more.

In addition, a Minister and a provincial councilor will receive a driver’s allowance and a transport al- lowance.

Each Minister will have a personal staff consisting of 10 members - two peons, two drivers, two clerks, one personal assistant, one co-ordinating secretary, one public relations officer and a private secretary. A Minister will also having two fixed-line telephones with a user limit of Rs. 10,000 and a mobile phone with a monthly limit of Rs. 5,000.

A minister is also entitled to a Rs.1,000 monthly entertainment allowance.

A provincial councillor gets a Rs. 500 entertainment allowance and one fixed line telephone with unlimited call facilities. He will also have a secretary, a typist and a peon.

A Rs. 5,000 transport allowance for personal staff will also be provided for provincial councilors as well as a stationery allowance of Rs. 4,000 a month.

Meanwhile, the Elections Department has revealed that more than Rs. 650 million has already been spent on holding the three provincial council elections.