Parliament has endorsed to increase monthly salaries and allowances of councillors. The motion was endorsed with the votes of 34 members.
The state finance parliamentary committee has also endorsed to increase the powers of city councils, as declared by the president under the discretion granted to him under the Decentralisation Act of Maldives.
As for the increment in salaries and allowances of councilors, with this endorsement, the salary and living allowance of a mayor would stand at USD 2,598; the salary and living allowance of a deputy mayor would stand at USD 2,273; and the salary and living allowance of city councilors would stand at USD 1,948. The salaries and allowances of councilors were slashed by 50 percent by the parliament in October 2015.
Today's parliament sitting was held after a one week hiatus. Since the inauguration of the first session of parliament for this year, only nine sittings have been held so far.
The sittings of the 18th Parliament will come to a close with the end of the month.