By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana 

Over-staffed Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB)  don’t have much work today as new connections,  disconnections and erecting poles are carried out by outsourced companies, a government MP said yesterday. 

Government MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage told Parliament yesterday that even cutting tree branches  are carried out by private companies today. “This situation continues despite CEB being overstaffed. Therefore CEB workers who do nothing should be made to carry out all the work,” the MP said.  “A CEB labourer draws a monthly salary of Rs 120,000,” the MP revealed. 

Coming up with another disclosure, Mr. Aluthgamage said vehicles are hired by CEB though there are many vehicles.  “CEB should be restructured and the excess staff should be retrenched ,” he also said. 

“Only Rs 105 is charged from a household which consumes 30 units of electricity. A cigarette cost Rs 105 today. Therefore I suggest that only those who are eligible for concessions should be given concessions. We don’t agree with the power tariff hike but CEB will incur losses to the tune of Rs 508 billion in 2023 if the electricity charges were not revised,” he added.