Sri Lanka Government confirms major public sector salary hike in upcoming budget

Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe announced in Parliament today (January 9) that the government is planning a significant salary increase for public sector employees in the upcoming budget.

This statement was made in response to a question raised by MP Ravi Karunanayake.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has not raised any objections to the proposed salary increment, aligning the increase with the cost of living.

While addressing Parliament, Deputy Minister Jayasinghe dismissed the Rs. 25,000 salary increment proposed by Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government prior to the postal vote on September 4, 2024 labeling it as a politically motivated move targeting public sector votes for the Presidential election.

He commented, “We didn’t say Rs. 25,000. Let’s see about the exact number. Don’t panic. Open and see what’s inside the bag, don’t poke it and see.”

The Deputy Minister accused the previous government of presenting a misleading proposal and asserted that the current government is committed to implementing a realistic and substantial increment for public sector employees in the upcoming budget.