The Hon. R. M. Gamini Rathnayake

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, we discuss Rs. 6,400 million in 2026 for three Heads of the Ministry of Labour across six streams: Labour and Labour Welfare; Manpower and Employment Development; Commissioner of Labour; National Institute of Labour Studies; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; and the Workers’ Welfare Fund.

¶ 02 For the coming year, Rs. 182 million is allocated to strengthen labour relations and enforce labour law, and Rs. 197 million for the safety, health and welfare of approximately 4.5 million private-sector employees. The EPF and ETF—managed by the Central Bank and the Commissioner General of Labour—are the region’s largest worker funds. Historically, political interference misused workers’ EPF, such as using it to buy the Salt Corporation and then dumping shares, harming both the corporation and workers’ funds. Accessing EPF has been hampered by dual data systems; unifying these is now improving access.

¶ 03 Madam Chair, you earlier raised whether loss-making SOEs have paid EPF/ETF/gratuity. Instead of selling off loss-making entities as in the past, this Budget provides Rs. 5,000 million to safeguard the entitlements of workers at ten loss-making SOEs: Lanka Ceramic Corporation, Janawasama, Lanka Sugar Company (Pvt) Ltd, Sri Lanka State Plantations Corporation, Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, Ceylon Fisheries Corporation, Alkatduwa Plantation Company (Pvt) Ltd, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, North Sea Ltd, and the National Livestock Development Board. For about ten years—even under your governments—EPF/ETF and gratuity were not paid at these entities. Now, this Budget steps in to secure those rights rather than abandon workers.

¶ 04 Finally, since 2002–2003 some institutions have not remitted EPF dues. Surcharges should be imposed and collected. I request the Minister’s intervention to recover arrears—this is workers’ right.

¶ 05 Thank you.