Parliament’s Public Finance Committee on Wednesday approved pay increases for the Speaker of the People’s Majlis and island councillors, as well as a higher car allowance for cabinet ministers.
Under the changes, the Speaker will receive an additional allowance of MVR 22,000 on top of the current salary of MVR 73,125, on the grounds that the Speaker cannot take part in parliamentary committees. This brings the Speaker’s total pay to MVR 95,125.
Island councils will receive a service allowance of MVR 5,000 to narrow the gap with other councils. With this, council presidents’ pay will rise to MVR 30,500, vice presidents’ to MVR 25,000, and councillors’ to MVR 23,000.
Ministers’ basic salaries will remain unchanged, but their driver allowance package will be increased to MVR 17,000. This is made up of a MVR 2,000 petrol allowance, a MVR 12,000 driver’s salary and a MVR 3,000 living allowance.
Opposition MDP member Abdul Ghafoor Moosa raised concerns over the proposal, saying that raising salaries given the country’s economic situation would put heavy pressure on the state budget. Finance Ministry figures show the state has received MVR 31.9 billion in revenue so far this year, while spending has reached MVR 36.4 billion.
However, the committee, where the ruling PNC holds a majority, passed the changes.
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