JVP wants festival allowances increased

Saturday, 17 March 2012 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The National Trade Union Centre (NTUC) affiliated to Sri Lanka’s Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has in writing requested the Public Administration Minister John Seneviratne to make necessary provisions to increase the festival allowance paid to the public sector employees.

NTUC Head K.D. Lalkantha has asked Minister Seneviratne to increase the current festival advance of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000 due to the increase in the cost of living.

He has explained that the cost of living has increased by over Rs. 3,000 monthly following last month’s fuel price hike and in that in such a backdrop, a festival advance of Rs. 5,000 would be insufficient.

“Due to the increase in cost of living, the festival advance needs to be increased at least to Rs. 10,000,” he has noted.

Public sector employees are provided with the facility of getting a festival advance once a year either for Sinhala and Tamil New Year or Christmas.

(www.colombopage.com)