Duty free vehicle permits, full salary in Alternative relief package

By Sandun A Jayasekera

The government has decided to provide an alternative relief package including obtaining duty free vehicle permits and full salary and other perks to ministry secretaries who have been deprived of their posts and whose posts have been abolished following the change of government, according to a circular issued by the Secretary to the President Dr. P.B.Jayasundara.   
 Accordingly, secretaries whose posts have been abolished are to be attached to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government until they retire from service under special provisions made under the Minutes on Secretaries or by the Cabinet decisions or until they are appointed to their previous position or any other appropriate post or to be appointed to a suitable post prior to January 31, by the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government. 

 Payment of salaries, allowances and granting of all other privileges approved for the post held by them and received by them will be made by the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government until their date of  retirement or date of appointment to a suitable post or until January 31,  whichever date occurs earlier. 
The period of service to obtain a duty free vehicle permit will be reduced to one year from three years for these officers subject to the Government Policy on importation of vehicles whenever they revert to the previous service or to the post held by them, the circular further said.   

Nearly, 900 senior public officers who have been replaced with new appointees or whose posts have been abolished are qualified to receive these benefits declared by the government.