News

PAYE tax slapped on MPs, reimbursed!

Published

7 months 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

Power supply restored in 80% of affected areas – CEB

Published

5 hours ago

December 9, 2023

editor

The power supply in 80% of the affected areas has been restored, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) reported.

Efforts to restore power in all remaining areas are also currently underway, CEB Media Spokesman Engineer Noel Priyantha said.

Earlier this evening (09 Dec.), major power outages were reported across the island due to a breakdown in the transmission line from Kotmale to Biyagama.

News

6 dead, 10 injured as fire breaks out at candle factory

Published

16 hours ago

December 9, 2023

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At least six people died and 10 sustained injuries after a fire broke out at a sparkling candle manufacturing unit in the Pimpri Chinchwad area of Pune district on Friday, an official said.

The fire brigade received a call about the blaze at the factory located at Talawade around 2.45 pm, said Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal commissioner Shekhar Singh. The factory manufactured sparkling candles which are generally used for birthday celebrations, he said.

“The fire has been doused. The cause is yet to be ascertained,” Singh added.

The owner of a nearby unit alerted the fire brigade to the incident, after which a team rushed to the site, doused the blaze and sent the injured to the hospital, an official from the Pimpri Chinchwad civic body’s disaster management cell said.

The six bodies have been charred beyond recognition, while the injuries sustained by 10 persons, comprising nine women and a male who is the owner of the ill-fated unit, are serious, he said.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar expressed grief at the incident and assured a inquiry.

Source – Times of India

News

Youth abducted in Matara and shot

Published

17 hours ago

December 9, 2023

editor

A youth, abducted from Matara by a group claiming to be police officers was shot and left behind with injuries in Habaraduwa last night (8), Police said.

The persons had arrived in a car and taken him claiming he was wanted for an investigation.

He had been shot on the leg and injured.

He is currently receiving treatment at hospital.