Donate salaries and reduce govt. expenses says President's Secretary

COLOMBO (News1st): President's Secretary P.B Jayasundara has said government expenditure can be reduced by at least Rs 50 billion if public servants donate half of their salaries to the Widows' and Orphans' Pension Fund. The President's Secretary donated his entire salary and allowances for the month of May to the fund on Friday, the President's Office said in a statement. "The government's monthly expenditure stands at Rs 80 billion," Jayasundara stated noting that this can rise to at least Rs 100 billion when state bodies, universities, and schools are re-opened. He had informed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that he is making the contribution voluntarily as the country needs a stress free budget. Sri Lanka is struggling with an economic crisis fuelled by mounting debts and a widening trade deficit, with the manufacturing and service sectors hitting all time-lows, according to the central bank. Recently, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden had undertaken a 20 percent pay cut while slashing salaries of ministers and top public servants by a fifth for the next six months. Sri Lanka's south Asian neighbour India too had announced that the salaries of its parliamentarians would be reduced by 30 percent for one year.