Sri Lanka launches commission to resolve public sector salary and pension issues
Sri Lanka has launched a new commission to resolve public sector salary and pension issues, with trade unions, organisations and the public given two months to submit proposals.
The work of the Commission on Public Sector Salaries and Pensions officially began today (August 4) at its office on Malalasekara Mawatha, Colombo 07.
The launch was held under the patronage of Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Professor Chandana Abeyratne.
The Commission was established under a proposal presented by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the 2026 Budget. Its appointment was announced through Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2494/05 dated June 22, 2026.
The 15-member Commission is chaired by retired Ministry Secretary Ashoka Peiris, while Nalaka Dissanayake serves as its Secretary.
It has been tasked with addressing problems relating to public officers’ salaries and pensions, improving the professionalism of public servants and recommending reforms to modernise the public service in line with technological and global developments.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Abeyratne said this was the first commission appointed in 20 years to address public sector salary issues and the first to specifically examine problems faced by pensioners.
He said salary anomalies had been discussed for many years, but previous attempts had failed to introduce a scientific solution covering the entire public service.
The Minister noted that resolving the problems of employees in one sector could sometimes affect the rights of workers in another sector. He said the President expected the Commission to introduce a fair and scientific system for all public officers.
Professor Abeyratne also said the Government’s public sector salary increase was being implemented in three stages over three years from January 1, 2025. The final increase is due to be added from January 1, 2027.
He said the increase would also apply when calculating the pensions of public servants who retired on or after January 1, 2025.
The Minister also said the Cabinet had decided to recruit 120,000 people into the public service after recruitment had remained suspended since 2020, adding that recruitment was already underway.
Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe said previous commissions had failed to provide proper solutions to salary anomalies despite receiving proposals from trade unions.
He expressed hope that the new Commission would examine the issues broadly and present scientific solutions instead of dealing with individual problems separately.
From today, trade unions, organisations and members of the public will have two months to submit their concerns and proposed solutions to the Commission.
A notice explaining the submission process is expected to be published in Sinhala, Tamil and English newspapers this Friday.
Deputy Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Ruwan Senarathna, Member of Parliament Chandana Sooriyarachchi, other ministers, parliamentarians, public officers and trade union representatives attended the event.
