Minister of Trade Bandula Gunawardene says that 86% of Government tax revenue was spent on paying salaries of Government servants.
Responding to the current protests staged by teachers, the Minister said that there was no other means to increase their salaries without increasing taxes on the public, selling public assets, or by obtaining loans.
The Minister said the total Government tax revenue last year was Rs. 1,216 billion, while the total amount spent on salaries and pension payments was Rs. 1,052 billion. (NewsWire)
