President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the Ministry of Finance has decided to close down 34 state institutions, and that a committee has been appointed to oversee this process. The President made these remarks while attending the Annual General Meeting of the Government Surveyors' Association, held in Battaramulla.
He noted that while there are sufficient rupee funds available to cope with domestic economic shocks, the economy is not yet robust enough to withstand external shocks.
The President emphasized that the public service must ensure that the wealth flowing into the Treasury reaches the grassroots level, adding that a strong state mechanism is essential for this purpose.
However, he pointed out that the public service in the country lacks appeal, leading many to leave the sector; he further remarked that the nation has yet to develop a public service capable of retaining professional talent. Despite such a challenging backdrop, a decision has been made to increase the basic salary for the public service; the President stated that 110 billion rupees will be required for these salary increases in 2027.
However, Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasized that while there are numerous vacancies within the professional public service, the lower tiers have become overstaffed due to political appointments. Consequently, a decision has been made to close down certain state institutions and merge others.
In this regard, the President further noted that the Ministry of Finance has decided to close 34 state institutions, and a committee has been appointed for this purpose.