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76 new PC members to gobble Rs. 200m
By Shelani Perera
With as many as 76 more members to be elected to provincial councils at elections this year, the hardpressed public will have to pocket out an additional Rs. 200 million every year to maintain the extra members.

The increase in the number of provincial council members is linked to an increase in population based on the latest census. Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake said that with the 76 extra members the total number of provincial councillors would go upto 456 in the seven provinces.

He said he had gazetted regulations announcing the increase in the number of PC members based on the 2001 census, which was conducted after a break of 20 years.

Accordingly, the Western Provincial Council, which is the biggest in the country, will have 35 more members bringing the total to 139. Based on population increases, Colombo district will have 14 more members, Gampaha 17 and Kalutara six. The Central Province will have nine more members, the Southern province eight, North Western 10, North Central five, Uva four and Sabaragamuwa four.

It was not clear whether the 2004 budget had made allocations to meet the additional expenditure to maintain the new PC members. A PC member gets a salary of Rs. 18,050 a month, a duty free vehicle, fuel allowance of Rs. 3,750 a month, drivers allowance Rs. 1,750, entertainment allowance Rs. 500, land phone bills upto Rs. 10,000, mobile phone allowance of Rs. 1,000, and Rs 250 for attending every provincial council meeting. Every member could also employ a secretary, a typist and an office assistant.

A provincial council minister draws a salary of between Rs. 30,000 and 33,000 a month. The provincial council minister is entitled to three to four vehicles, seven staff members and accommodation.

An Elections Department official said the 1999 provincial election was based on the population figures of the 1981 census while this years poll would be on the 2001 census, thus producing the 76 extra members.

He said that the constitution did not specify any limit on the number of seats for provincial councils similar to the limit of 225 for the national parliament. According to the Provincial Council Election Act, one representative is elected for every 40, 000 voters.

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