Right to Information reveals: Nearly 1.4 million in govt. jobs and over 300,000 vacancies more to be filled

Last year, at least a 100,000 public sector employees launched an island wide strike demanding a Rs. 20,000 monthly pay increase

In November last year, at least a 100,000 public sector employees launched an island wide strike demanding a Rs. 20,000 monthly pay increase. They also called for the reestablishment of a pension scheme denied to all public sector employees recruited over the past six years. 
An ILO report titled ‘Building a High Quality Public Service in Sri Lanka through Workplace reform’ describes the public service as a major employer in Sri Lanka; engaging some 1.4 million people. The productivity, affordability and reliability of its services are critical to the health, well-being and socio-economic progress of the country.

However, the delivery of those services is impaired by inadequate systems, low skills and limited competencies, and is often interrupted by strike action. However it’s a known fact that public sector employees are entitled to many perks, allowances and facilities in addition to a pension upon retirement. But with employees taking days and months to complete a task, members of the public have started questioning the efficiency of the public service over the past few years. 

In 2022, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the appointment of a committee to identify priorities in essential recruitments

Despite such inefficiencies, incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe responded to the island wide strike launched by public sector employees last year in a positive manner. In his 2024 Budget Speech President Wickremesinghe said that 35% of the government revenue is spent on the salaries of public servants and on social welfare. He proposed to increase public sector salaries while increasing their Cost of Living Allowances. A government employee would therefore receive Rs. 17,800 as the Cost of Living Allowance while the Cost of Living Allowance for public pensioners would increase to
Rs. 6025. 

In response to an RTI request filed to the Department of Management Services to inquire about the existing cadre, vacancies, salaries, perks and benefits of public sector employees the Department said that the Approved cadre for the public sector as at December 31, 2022 is 1,715,417 and the existing cadre is 1,393,883. 
The breakdown of cadre positions in different institution categories and respective vacancies are mentioned table 1. 

When inquired about salary scales applicable to the public sector employees, Information Officer M.D.I.B Gamage said that there is no average salary scale mentioned for public service. “Salaries of public sector employees are paid according to the Public Administration circular 03/2016 dated 25.02.2016. The salary code, points, various grades and several other factors add up when preparing salaries of public sector employees. In addition, they are also entitled to allowances, pension, station and overtime allowances,”
said Gamage. 

Responding to a query on perks, leave and other benefits entitled to by public sector employees Gamage further said that the relevant circulars are issued by the Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Governments. For instance the provision of a monthly allowance of Rs. 5000 to employees in commercial corporations, statutory boards and government owned companies was granted via a circular issued by the Department of Public Enterprises  dated January 18, 2022; the implementation of official language policy and payment of incentives for the officers of public corporations, statutory boards, state banks and fully owned government companies via a circular issued by the Department of Management Services 01/2023 dated January 19, 2023; payment of professionals allowances for the senior level officers of corporations, statutory boards and fully government owned companies; provision of transport facilities for the officers in commercial corporations, statutory bodies and state owned companies via a circular issued by the Department of Public Enterprises 01/2015 (ii) dated January 14, 2022. 

With employees taking days and months to complete a task, members of the public have started questioning the efficiency of the public service over the past few years

The 2014 ILO report proposes workplace reforms in three areas with the objective of boosting the performance of the public service. These include social dialogue, dispute resolution and human resource development within the public service administration. 

In 2022, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the appointment of a committee to identify priorities in essential recruitments and to recommend suitable timelines and making appropriate recommendations for the public sector to carry out their duties effectively. However a senior official at the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government said that different state sector employees are being recruited by different departments. “Be it Grama Niladharis, development officers, management assistants, drivers etc., each one of these public sector employees are recruited by respective departments. There’s a separate criterion for the integrated service sector as well. However there’s no circular or official document regarding what would be done to fill the vacancies as yet,” the official said.