(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – As a part of efficient expenditure management, President Ranil Wickremesinghe as Finance Minister has proposed to rationalize the number of government employees.
Accordingly, the interim budget has proposed to reduce the compulsory retirement age of public sector employees to 60 years.
Already, the government has allowed those who are willing to take no pay leave for 5 years or so and go abroad or engage in educational activities in the country.
“It has been observed that there has been increasing unrest among unemployed youth as the government had decided to raise the mandatory retirement age of public sector employees to 65 years and that of semi-governmental employees to 62 years,” the President said.
Besides, it has also been reported that the increase in the retirement age has restricted the promotional opportunities available for many public sector and semi-governmental employees.
Accordingly, it is proposed to reduce the retirement age of public sector and semi-governmental employees to 60 years.
Those who have been employed beyond 60 years of age at present in the government and semi government sectors will be retired as of 31 December 2022.
The Director General of Management Services will be tasked to conduct a work study covering the entire public service for the purpose of optimally obtaining services of the primary level employees in the government entities and to submit the report to the Cabinet of Ministers within three months.
