NPP will bring back Arjuna Mahendran as first priority: Anura Kumara

Colombo, August 18 (Daily Mirror)- The National People's Power (NPP) will bring back former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, who fled to Singapore, to Sri Lanka as the first priority of a NPP government, NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today.

Speaking at a rally in Kiribathgoda, he said the NPP will take over power with plans to raise state revenue and said the NPP government will stop fraud and corruption.

He said Rs. 1,100 billion in taxes have been defaulted by various people and assured that the NPP government will recover all the defaulted taxes.

"At least Rs. 169 billion can be recovered initially without any issues. There are some court cases regarding the rest. Some file cases against paying taxes and after the court rulings they pay the same amount after about ten years. We will amend laws to recover the tax amount with interest after the court ruling," he said.

Dissanayake said the NPP will take over power with plans to raise state revenue and said the NPP government will stop fraud and corruption.

He said the NPP government will engage in discussions with the IMF on tax relief and pointed out that the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax threshold will be increased from Rs 100,000 to Rs. 200,000.

He also said low income families will be provided with a minimum monthly allowance of Rs. 10,000 under the NPP government.

Dissanayake said the Cabinet of Ministers and Deputy Ministers will be restricted to 25 and there will be no State Ministers under the NPP government.

"We will allocate ministries on a scientific basis," he added.