Those working for the central ministries are most priviliged: they pocket allowances equal to a 26% of their basic wage.
Compared to this, staff working at the front line of service delivery such as teachers and nurses are a very modest bunch. Their salary top ups equal 'only' 8% of their basic salary.
Gloria
The tone of this post (and the tone of the blog overall) suggests that civil servants are somehow doing very well out of this poorly designed and inefficient system. No doubt some do, particularly at the higher levels. That isn't the case for most of course, as you are aware. A mid level civil servant with a degree working in a ministry can expect c. 3 laki per month, before tax. Using the averages you cite, once tax is deducted and allowances added, the total is maybe 330,000 (this is back of an envelope). Try raising a family on that.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with your tone is that if you want to address this issue there is one big constituency that you will have to bring on board: civil servants.
I'm not a civil servant. I'm an expatriate "development worker" who has worked in various places over the years. I haven't paid income tax anywhere since 1996.
Maybe I should set up a blog called why-work-when-I-can-live-overseas-with-most-expenses-paid-for-by-my-government-and-not-have-to-work-friday-afternoons-all-on-top-of-a-generous-tax-free-salary.blogspot.com
Fingers can be pointed at both donors and recipients. The trick is to try and re-imagine things.
An excellent comment....not to excuse the culture of sitting allowances, but to note the institutionalisation of 'pocketing'...the donors and expats who don't pay tax, but in fact receive 'hardship allowances' amidst other benefits......it is endless
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