Yesterday, the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) disclosed that approximately 30,000 individuals have deserted the tri forces since 2021. This revelation occurred during the discussion of a supplementary estimate of Rs 16.5 billion, which is intended to settle outstanding payments for food suppliers to the forces.
During the COPF meeting, security forces officers emphasized that each member of the security forces requires a daily intake of 3400 kilo calories in order to sustain themselves. They further informed the COPF that procuring food to meet the nutritional needs of the security forces has proven to be challenging. COPF Chief Harsha de Silva emphasized the importance of ensuring effective utilization of the allocated funds.
Furthermore, the COPF approved a salary increase for the Chairman of the Bribery Commission. However, Dr. De Silva stated that the salary of the Bribery Commission Chairman should be on par with that of appeal court judges.
Additionally, the COPF requested Customs to devise a procedure that would allow for the release of 263 uncleared vehicles with minimal financial loss to the government.
