Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday urged the government to resolve the pension anomalies of police officers.

Raising a question under Standing Order 27(2), he said retired police officers who had done a great service during the war in addition to the security forces had been struggling to make ends meet because of the anomalies and said Cabinet approval has been given to a circular which was issued in 2012.

“Those officers who have been forced to retire due to injuries they had suffered have not been paid," Mr. Rajapaksa said.

He said some had not been given promotions, creating more anomalies. Promotions have not been granted despite the decision made one and a half years ago.

He said there was no programme to settle unpaid allowances for retired policemen and for the payment of pensions to dependents of deceased policemen.

State Minister of Defence, Ruwan Wijewardene in his response said the Cabinet had given approval to two papers in 2016 and 2017. He said there have been 785 officers who had been forced to retire because of their injuries and 677 police officers who have been assigned to engage in less strenuous work. Some 340 out of 677 who were put on light work would be eligible for two increments and to a promotion.

He said arrangements had been made to grant the stipulated concessions and that arrangements were being made to pay pensions to more than 1,000 officers who have completed little less than ten years of service while a fresh Cabinet paper would be submitted to give more concessions.

“Those who have died in action or were disabled before reaching the age of 55 will also be given concessions soon. Submission of a cabinet paper in this regard is considered,” the state minister said. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)