News

PAYE tax slapped on MPs, reimbursed!

Published

2 years ago

May 1, 2023

editor

While all income earners in the country are subjected to the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax from a tax threshold of Rs 100,000, it is revealed that parliamentarians have enjoyed a tax relief.

Although a MP has been slapped with a PAYE tax of Rs. 72,000 – Rs. 75,000 in January this year, the amount has been drastically slashed to Rs. 15,000 in February.

Also, it is singular that out of the PAYE taxe imposed in January, a sum of Rs. 55,000 has been reimbursed to them in March.

Although it is stated that a Member of Parliament gets Rs.54,000, they are granted several allowances.

These allowances include Rs.50,000 as telephone allowance, Rs.100,000 for maintaining an office, Rs.170,000 as fuel allowance, Rs. 15,000 as transport allowance, Rs. 1,000 as entertainment allowance and Rs.2,500 for each sitting attended.

Accordingly, the income (inclusive of all allowances) of a Parliamentarian is around Rs. 450,000. However, this may slightly vary according to the number of parliamentary sessions attended by the respective MP.

It is also singular that two allowances are granted with regard to transportation (transport and fuel).

They are also granted lunch at Parliament for Rs. 400.

The PAYE tax with its threshold of Rs. 100,000 has led to public uproar and a string of protests. However, the MPs who had passed the very taxation system, had silently amended their own taxes while the public continued to struggle amid high taxes and skyrocketing Cost of Life.

Although much of the protests held in this regard are organised by trade unions affiliated to the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, the 03 JVPs as well as other opposition MPs too had remained silent so far.

News

Kandy-Peradeniya train service restored

Published

5 hours ago

June 12, 2025

editor

The section of railway between Kandy and Peradeniya affected by ground subsidence has been repaired and services restored, the Railway Department announced.

The Podi Menike train from Colombo Fort to Badulla was operated at 5.55 a.m. today (June 12) to assess safety, successfully passing the repaired section around 9 a.m. and reaching Kandy without issue.

However, the authorities stated that trains will continue to run at reduced speeds in the affected area.

This subsidence was attributed to recent heavy rainfall in Kandy.

News

Heavy rains expected in several areas today

Published

8 hours ago

June 12, 2025

editor

The Department of Meteorology says that showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern and North-western provinces.

Heavy rains above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Nuwara-Eliya, Kandy, Galle and Matara districts.

Several spells of showers may occur in the Northern Province and in Anuradhapura district.

Strong winds of about 50-60 kmph can be expected at times over Western slopes of the central hills and in Northern, North-central, Western, Sabaragamuwa, North-western and Southern provinces and in Trincomalee district.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

News

President meets German FM

Published

8 hours ago

June 12, 2025

editor

As part of the official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, President Anura Kumara Disanayake met with German Foreign Minister Dr. Johann Wadephul yesterday evening (June 11) at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Berlin.

The discussion focused on identifying new avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, the digital economy, investment and vocational training, in line with the priorities of the Sri Lankan government.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Germany, Ms. Varuni Muthukumarana, Chairman of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka Arjuna Herath, Director General for Europe and North America at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Trade Sugeeshwara Gunaratna and other officials.

(President’s Media Division)