President Maithripala Sirisena agreed to cancel all vehicle imports for ministers this year, Digital Infrastructure and Telecommunications Minister Harin Fernando said in a twitter post, today.
The Minister tweeted, “I requested president at cabinet to cancel all vehicle imports for this year for ministries, President agreed all will be cancelled this year”.
The vehicle budget consisted of Rs. 154 million to purchase new vehicles for the Ministry of Defence, Rs 120 million for vehicles for the Finance Ministry, Rs.43 million to purchase a vehicle for the Deputy Minister of Rural Economy and Rs. 16 million to purchase a vehicle for the Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade.
The import of luxury vehicles for Ministers and MPs was a strong point of debate among the general public for over a year as legislators face public outcry over their decisions to purchase expensive vehicles.
Last week, Parliament took up the debate on a supplementary estimate which sought approval to spend more than Rs 360 million to purchase vehicles for some ministers and renovate official residences of others.
The government provides each Cabinet, Deputy and State Minister with an official vehicle and two other vehicles as well as a vehicle permit. In addition, vehicles are also provided to the personal secretary, media secretary, the two coordinating secretaries and public relations officer of every minister. Cabinet this year also approved request made to increase the maximum price of a vehicle by eight million rupees and to provide funds for only one vehicle for a Cabinet, State or Deputy Minister.
Earlier in March, the government sought Parliamentary approval to spend Rs.288.2 million to purchase vehicles for several Ministers, Deputy Ministers and State Ministers.
Minister Fernando’s plea to halt the purchases of luxury vehicles in a time of disaster however is not new, the government postponed its decision to spend Rs 791 million to purchase 28 vehicles from June to November of last year when its decision coincided with the explosion in Salawa and there was a public outcry against the government for purchasing vehicles at a time of tragedy.