GOVT. DEDUCTS MONEY FROM SOLDIERS SALARIES: JVP
To Commemorate 60th Anniversary of army
By Kelum Bandara and Gihan de Chickera
The government had deducted Rs. 1,800 from the monthly salary of each soldier to fund an event to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Army, the JVP charged in parliament yesterday.
JVP parliamentary group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake referring to the salary slip of a soldier, said that Rs. 1,800/= had been deducted to fund the Army’s 60th Anniversary celebrations.
Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena in response said the government would have to look into this charge.
“This year’s Defence Ministry budget allocation also makes provisions for funds to be allocated for celebrations. So we have to look into this matter,” Mr. Gunawardena said. He added that the President and the government always worked towards the benefit of members of the armed forces.
However, Mr. Dissanayake charged that not a single house had been constructed for soldiers under the ‘Api Wenuwen Api’ project.
“Yesterday when we raised a question about the ‘Api Wenuwen Api’ fund it came to light that not a single house has been built under this project. The government is using the armed forces only to gain votes,” Mr. Dissanayake said.He added that the General Manager of the SLTB had siphoned off Rs.5.6 million of the Rs. 5.8 million collected for the welfare of war heroes.
Citing newspaper reports Mr. Dissanayake said an internal audit of the SLTB had revealed that the General Manager had collected Rs.5.8 million from SLTB employees, but Rs. 5.6 million of this sum had not been accounted for.This had occurred in January, 2008 Mr. Dissanayakke said.
To Commemorate 60th Anniversary of army
By Kelum Bandara and Gihan de Chickera
The government had deducted Rs. 1,800 from the monthly salary of each soldier to fund an event to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Army, the JVP charged in parliament yesterday.
JVP parliamentary group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake referring to the salary slip of a soldier, said that Rs. 1,800/= had been deducted to fund the Army’s 60th Anniversary celebrations.
Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena in response said the government would have to look into this charge.
“This year’s Defence Ministry budget allocation also makes provisions for funds to be allocated for celebrations. So we have to look into this matter,” Mr. Gunawardena said. He added that the President and the government always worked towards the benefit of members of the armed forces.
However, Mr. Dissanayake charged that not a single house had been constructed for soldiers under the ‘Api Wenuwen Api’ project.
“Yesterday when we raised a question about the ‘Api Wenuwen Api’ fund it came to light that not a single house has been built under this project. The government is using the armed forces only to gain votes,” Mr. Dissanayake said.He added that the General Manager of the SLTB had siphoned off Rs.5.6 million of the Rs. 5.8 million collected for the welfare of war heroes.
Citing newspaper reports Mr. Dissanayake said an internal audit of the SLTB had revealed that the General Manager had collected Rs.5.8 million from SLTB employees, but Rs. 5.6 million of this sum had not been accounted for.This had occurred in January, 2008 Mr. Dissanayakke said.
