State losses pass Rs. 30 mn after upping MPs' fuel allowance

State losses have passed the Rs. 30 million mark after it was decided to increase the fuel allowance of MPs, reports say.

Former Finance Minister - Basil Rajapaksa had halted the paying of fuel allowances according to the then prevalent prices due to the fuel crisis. Accordingly, a MP received Rs. 120 for a litre of fuel.

However, the amount has been increased to Rs. 450 per litre by the new decision.

However, many MPs had continuously requested to provide them a fuel allowance as per the current prices, leading to the new decision.

MPs from Colombo district receive a monthly fuel allowance for 280 litres while MPs from Kalutara and Gampaha districts receive 350 litres.

MPs from the districts of Kegalle, Ratnapura, Kurunegala, Galle and Kandy receive 420 litres monthly while those from the districts of Matale, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Puttalam receive 490 litres.

Meanwhile, MPs from the districts of Polonnaruwa, Hambantota, Badulla, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Anuradhapura and Monaragala receive 560 litres monthly while those from the districts of Mullaitivu, Batticaloa, Mannar, Digamadulla and Jaffna receive 630 litres.