DailyMirror:
Deputy Transport Minister Rohana Dissanayake said yesterday that the Railways Department would take adequate measures to cut down on its expenses as a means of increasing its annual revenue.
Mr. Dissanayake said that the department’s total income in 2009 was Rs. 4019 million while the expenditure was Rs. 8780 million. He said that the department intended to increase its income to Rs.5000 million by the end of the year. “This will not resolve the problem entirely but will be of benefit. There are no other means of increasing our income. Therefore the only means of resolving this issue is by finding methods of cutting expenses. While doing this we are hoping to maintain a monthly revenue of Rs.350 million,” he said.
He said that Rs.5073 was spent each year on workers salaries, allowances and overtime payments. He said that overhead costs had also increased significantly. The deputy minister said that the electricity bill of the Maradana Railway station amounted to Rs.1.4 million a year.
As for the department’s revenue, he said Rs.3266 million had been earned from passengers, Rs.337 million from the transportation of goods, Rs.150 million from postal services and Rs.301 million from other services last year.