The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna
Provided details on estate workers’ wage increases since 1998, noting that the daily wage rose to Rs. 1,350 in 2024 and to an effective Rs. 1,750 in 2026 with Rs. 200 each from Government and companies. He also gave current workforce figures for regional plantation companies and state plantation bodies, the monthly number of workers entitled to the 2026 Budget increase, and payments made in the first four months, totalling Rs. 2,883.34 million. He stated that the Government attendance incentive is limited to registered manual workers contributing to EPF/ETF under Cabinet decisions and MOUs, excluding many temporary workers who are not yet registered.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Mr. Speaker, a subsequent Question by an Hon. Member today covers this and will clarify it for you.
¶ 02 Question No. 7 (1938/2026): Salary increases for estate workers from 1998: details.
¶ 03 (a) (i) The pattern of increases since 1998 is as follows (highlights): - 2000: daily wage Rs. 121 (increase Rs. 20). - 2002 (collective agreement): daily Rs. 147 (increase Rs. 26). - 2003: +Rs. 20. - 2004 (CA): +Rs. 47.50. - 2006 (CA): +Rs. 65.50. - 2007 (CA): +Rs. 30. - 2009 (CA): +Rs. 115. - 2011 (CA): +Rs. 110. - 2013 (CA): +Rs. 105. - 2014 (Wages Board): +Rs. 284 (to Rs. 405). - 2016 (CA): +Rs. 110 (to Rs. 730). - 2019 (CA): +Rs. 20 (to Rs. 750). - 2021 (Wages Board): +Rs. 150; plus Budget allowance Rs. 100. - 2024 (Wages Board): +Rs. 350; over-kilo rate Rs. 50. Thus by 2024 the daily wage reached Rs. 1,350. In 2026, an additional Rs. 200 from Government and Rs. 200 from companies raised the effective daily to Rs. 1,750.
¶ 04 (ii) Current workforce numbers: - RPCs: Permanent 76,044; Temporary 18,955. - JEDB: Permanent 2,738; Temporary: None. - SLSPC: Permanent 1,524; Temporary 573.
¶ 05 (iii) Number entitled to the Budget 2026 increase (monthly figures, excluding Kurunegala and Halawatha state companies): - January: 78,014 - February: 78,377 - March: 78,278 - April: 77,981
¶ 06 (iv) Amount paid as the increased component (Rs. 400 per worker per day) for the first four months (in million rupees): - January: RPCs 276.49; SLSPC 5.03; JEDB 80.93; Total 362.45 - February: 261.24; 4.42; 79.27; Total 344.93 - March: 289.94; 5.67; 98.90; Total 394.51 - April: 251.91; 5.12; 82.75; Total 339.78 Total four months: Rs. 2,883.34 million.
¶ 07 (v) No. As per Cabinet decisions and MOUs signed with RPCs, the Government attendance incentive applies to registered manual workers who contribute to the Employees’ Provident Fund/Employees’ Trust Fund.
¶ 08 (vi) Many temporary workers are those not yet qualified for registration. Therefore, the allowance is limited to registered workers.
¶ 09 (b) Not applicable.
Provenance
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- Hansard, Tuesday, 9 June 2026 ·No. 23706 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 9 June 2026. No. 23706. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/2757