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Public sector retirees to be increased by around 2,000 in 2022

06 Sep 2022

  • Finance Ministry circular expected to be issued soon
BY Dinitha Ratnayake The Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, and Local Government is expecting a circular to be issued by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilisation, and National Policies pertaining to the recent reduction of the age of compulsory/mandatory retirement to 60 years, where around 2,000 public servants more than last year are set to retire this year. According to sources who spoke to The Morning, normally, around 18,000 retire every year, but due to the recently passed interim Budget, which changed the age of retirement to 60 years, over 20,000 employees in the public service are to be sent on retirement by the end of 2022. The interim Budget by President and Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilisation, and National Policies Ranil Wickremesinghe proposed to reduce the retirement age of public sector and semi-governmental employees to 60 years. Earlier, 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. Those employed beyond 60 years of age at present in the Government and semi-government sectors will be retired as of 31 December 2022. Meanwhile, it was also reported that the decision to lower the retirement age to 60 years will not apply to certain selected essential professions. According to media reports, Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, and Local Government Ministry Secretary, M.M.P.K. Mayadunne has said that the 60 years retirement age will not apply to professions such as medicine, nursing, and engineering. He said that new amendments would be presented to the Cabinet of Ministers to have the retirement age of such professions at 63 years. Certain health sector unions have claimed that healthcare is a service that needs to undergo constant innovation in knowledge and the use of new techniques, and that therefore, there should be a continuous addition and departure to the flow of professionals and experts who bring in new knowledge to the service.  They also claimed that information and views presented to the President and the Secretary to the Health Ministry are incorrect largely due to such information being presented through several officials who are over 60 years of age or close to it.


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