CSC orders salary reduction for council Secretaries General from August

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has decided to reduce the salaries of Secretaries General (SGs) serving in island and city councils, with the changes coming into effect next month.

In a circular sent to Permanent Secretaries, Council Presidents and Secretaries General, CSC Secretary General Abdulla Saeed instructed offices to implement the revised salary structure from August, in line with changes approved by the National Pay Commission.

According to the circular, the Pay Commission has revised the executive allowance paid to council Secretaries General. City council SGs currently receive MVR 28,095 as executive allowance, but under the new structure they will receive MVR 23,065, a reduction of MVR 5,030.

A senior official from an island council, speaking to Sun on Tuesday on condition of anonymity, said the salaries of directors working under the Secretaries General will be increased under the new structure. He noted that many SGs have played a key role in strengthening administrative management within councils, and described the reduction as a step backwards.

He added that complaints tend to rise whenever salary structures are changed, and said concerns remain that recent pay revisions have not positively impacted judiciary and legal staff.