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Friday, 24 March 2017 00:58 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Just the monthly rents for 33 buildings leased from the private sector to house ministries is costing the taxpayer a whopping Rs. 149.7 million per month, Parliament was informed yesterday, with the Science and Technology, Agriculture and Public Enterprise Development ministries among the worst offenders.
Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media Minister and Chief Government Whip Gayantha Karunathilaka, responding to a question raised by Opposition lawmaker JVP MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, said the Government has also advanced Rs. 1 billion to retain these buildings.
The ministries which have rented the buildings are Sustainable Development and Wildlife (monthly rental Rs. 4,235,357), Development Strategies and International Trade (Rs. 1,586,459), Law and Order and Southern Development (Rs. 2,402,987.25), Special Assignments (Rs. 1,114,522.20), Primary Industries (Rs. 2,847,072) and Power and Renewable Energy (Rs. 1,700,463).
Petroleum Resources Development (Rs. 1,719,023), Transport and Civil Aviation (Rs. 4,896,259.25), Public Enterprise Development (two buildings Rs. 2,995,650 and Rs. 2,909,600), Science, Technology and Research (two buildings Rs. 3,347,937.50 and Rs. 3,278,274.26), Industry and Commerce (Rs. 400,000), Foreign Employment (two buildings Rs. 2,060,000 and Rs. 1,278,720) and Agriculture (Rs. 24,570,000).
The Agriculture Ministry has also been embroiled in a controversy where it has been paying Rs. 24 million rent for a building that has been unoccupied for 11 months, Dr. Jayatissa pointed out in Parliament.
“This is abuse of public funds and a waste. Cabinet has approved this building rent in response to a Cabinet paper the Prime Minister moved. The Government should not pay rent unless the buildings are unoccupied,” he said.
Rural Economic Affairs (two buildings Rs. 2,062,417 and Rs. 622,710), National Policies and Economic Affairs rents two buildings at Rs. 1,081,228 and pays an additional Rs. 70,000 for a 30-vehicle car park. Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs (three buildings Rs. 3,940,423, Rs. 1,233,601.18 and Rs. 800,000), Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation and Hindu Religious Affairs (Rs. 3,432,423.42), Ports and Shipping (Rs. 1,669,917), National Integration and Reconciliation (Rs. 1,610,000), Social Empowerment and Welfare (Rs. 11,958,422), National Co-existence, Dialogue and Official Languages (Rs. 1,924,740), Women and Child Affairs (Rs. 14, 050,048), Housing and Construction (Rs. 4,544,595) and City Planning and Water Supply (Rs. 1,250,000).
The exhaustive list continues with Rural Development (Rs. 11,331,795), Foreign Affairs (two buildings Rs. 2,184,772.37 and Rs. 1,770,760.80), Upcountry New Villages, Estate Infrastructure and Community Development (Rs. 1,930,500), Health Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine (Rs. 9,990,000), Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs (Rs. 1,412,500), Public Administration and Management (Rs. 895,041), Environment and Mahaweli Development (Rs. 925,000), Plantation Industries (Rs. 7,075,044) and Highway and Higher Education (Rs. 591,048). (AH)
