Over MVR5m spent monthly as salaries of government political post holders

More than MVR5 million is spent every month as salaries of the over 100 political post holders of the government.

Official statistics obtained by Sun Online show that the government includes one Special Advisor to the President, 16 Ministers, 42 State Ministers, 58 Deputy Ministers, five Deputy Under Secretaries and ten Advisors to Ministers.

Chancellor of the National University and Controller of Immigration are also Minister level posts, which means that including the President and the vice President, a total of 136 political posts exist in the current government.

Salaries of political post holders are based on the levels of their posts, meaning that the Chancellor of the National University and Controller of Immigration receive the same salary and allowance as Ministers.

The salary of each of the 19 persons who hold Minister level posts on average is MVR57,500; which results in a total expense of MVR1.2 million monthly.

The salary and allowances of each of the 42 persons who hold State Minister level posts is between MVR40,000 and MVR45,000; which results in a total expense of MVR1.9 million monthly.

The salary and privileges of each of the 58 persons who hold Deputy Minister level posts is MVR35,000; which results in a total expense of MVR2 million monthly.

The salary of each of the five Deputy Under Secretaries on average is MVR30,000; which results in a total expense of MVR150,000 monthly.

The salary of each of the ten Advisors to Ministers on average is MVR25,000; which results in a total expense of MVR250,000 monthly.

The law stipulates that the monthly salary of the President is MVR100,000, and that of the Vice President is MVR75,000.

Excluding the salaries of the President and Vice President, an estimated total of MVR5.4 million is spent monthly as salaries of political post holders, and including the salaries of the President and Vice President, the amount is estimated to be MVR5.6 million.

The government attempted earlier to reduce the salaries of political post holders, but without much success. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has also advised the government to reduce the salaries of political post holders.