Non-cabinet minister (Sri Lanka)
In Sri Lanka, a Non-cabinet minister (also referred to as Minister of State, State minister, Project minister, District minister, Senior minister) is politician who is a Minister, but not a member of the Cabinet of Ministers. A non-cabinet minister is ranked below a cabinet minister, but above a deputy minister. A non-cabinet minister can be in charge of a ministry, be attached a ministry of a cabinet minister or be without a ministry. A cabinet minister may hold another non-cabinet minister post with a different subject concurrently.
Appointment
Under the [44] of the Sri Lankan Constitution, the President on the advice of the Prime Minister can appoint a Member of Parliament as a Minister who will not be a member of the Cabinet of Ministers and assign subjects and functions, as well as ministries (if any) which are to be in charge of. The President can change the subjects and functions assigned to the Minister.[1]
History
The appointment of Non-cabinet ministers was set out under the Constitution of 1978. President J. R. Jayawardene appointed non-cabinet ministers and district ministers. President Ranasinghe Premadasa appointed both non-cabinet ministers and ministers of state. President Chandrika Kumaratunga appointed non-cabinet ministers with the title of project ministers. President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed non-cabinet minister, project ministers and senior ministers. President Maithripala Sirisena appointed non-cabinet ministers with the title of state minister. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed state ministers.
Powers and duties
A Cabinet Minister by publishing in the Gazette can delegate to a non-cabinet minister any power or duty coming under the subject or function assigned to the cabinet minister by law. The Minister is responsible to the Cabinet of Ministers and to Parliament.[1]
Privileges of office
Salary
A Minister or State Minister would receive a salary of Rs. 140,000 (having been increased from 65,000 from January 2018); paid monthly from the respective ministry budget.[2] In addition, since all ministers are members of parliament they are entitled to allowances and benefits of parliamentarians.[3]
Official residence and office
A Minister is entitled to an official residence, they have an office and personal staff allocated from their ministry.
Travel
Each minister is entitled to three vehicles, which includes an official vehicle and security vehicles provided and maintained by their ministry. For domestic air travel, helicopters from the No. 4 (VVIP/VIP) Helicopter Squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force are charted by the ministry.
Security
Traditionally security for the ministers have been provided by the Sri Lanka Police. During emergencies military units have been allocated to bolster security to certain ministers based on treat levels. At present the Ministerial Security Division is in charge of security of ministers.
Order of precedence
In the Sri Lankan order of precedence, deputy ministers are placed after the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, but before the Chief Government Whip (if the whip does not hold a ministerial position).
In the Sri Lankan order of precedence, non-cabinet ministers are placed after the Governor of the Province (within their respective province) and the Chief Minister (within their respective province).
List of current state ministers
List of current state ministers in the Gotabaya Rajapaksa cabinet is as follows;
- Chamal Rajapaksa - State Minister of Defense.
- Vasudeva Nanayakkara - State Minister of Water Supply Facilities.
- Gamini Lokuge - State Minister of Urban Development.
- Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene - State Minister of Industries and Rural Development.
- S. B. Dissanayake - State Minister of Land and Land Development.
- John Senewirathna - State Minister of Economic Policy Development.
- Mahinda Samarasinghe - State Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs.
- C.B. Ratnayake - State Minister of Railway Services.
- Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene - State Minister of Information Communications Technology.
- Susantha Punchinilame - State Minister of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development.
- Anura Priyadarshana Yapa - State Minister of Internal Trade and Consumer Welfare.
- Susil Premajayantha - State Minister of International Cooperation.
- Piyankara Jayaratne - State Minister of Indigenous Medicine Services.
- Ranjith Siyambalapitiya - State Minister of Education Services.
- Mahindananda Aluthgamage - State Minister of Power.
- Duminda Dissanayake - State Minister of Youth Affairs.
- Rohitha Abeygunawardana - Stare Minister of Energy.
- Dayasiri Jayasekera - State Minister of Industries.
- Lasantha Alagiyawanna - State Minister of Public Management and Accounts.
- Keheliya Rambukwella - State Minister of Investment Promotions.
- Arundika Fernando - State Minister of Tourism Promotions.
- Thilanga Sumathipala - State Minister of Technology and Innovations
- Mohan Priyadarshana De Siiva - State Minister of Hunan Rights and Legal Reforms.
- Vijitha Berugoda -State Minister of Women and Child Affairs.
- Roshan Ranasinghe - State Minister of Mahaweli Development
- Janaka Wakkumbura - State Minister of Export Agriculture.
- Vidura Wickremanayake - State Minister of Agriculture.
- Shehan Semasinghe - State Minister of Development Banking and Loan Schemes,
- Kanaka Herath - State Minister of Port Development.
- Dilum Amunugama - State Minister of Transport Services Management.
- Lohan Ratwatte - State Minister of Highways Development.
- Wimalaweera Dissanayake - State Minister of Wildlife Development.
- Jayantha Samaraweera - State Minister of Environment.
- Sanath Nishantha - State Minister of Fisheries and Inland Fishing.
- Tharaka Balasooriya - State Minister of Social Protection
- Nimal Lanza - State Minister for Estate Development
- Kanchana Wijesekara - State Minister for Fisheries
- Indika Anuruddha - State Minister for State Administration, Provincial & Local Council
References
- "Constitution of Sri Lanka" (PDF). parliament.lk. Parliament of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- Salaries of ministers likely to be increased?
- Of Ministers’ Salaries And Parliamentary Perks