The Hon. Mahinda Jayasinghe - Deputy Minister of Labour

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, some fiscal details will be answered by relevant Ministers. I will focus on the salary increases.

¶ 02 This is a historic pay rise — the largest in recent history for public servants. As trade union leaders and Government functionaries, Ministers, we contributed to this. Since 2016, for over eight years, the basic salary was not increased. Now, after nearly nine years, the basic pay is raised.

¶ 03 When you add a flat Rs. 2,500 or Rs. 5,000, it is easy to grasp. But when the basic is increased proportionately, some find it harder to compute and compare with past formats. Yesterday the President referred to PL-1 — the lowest grade in the public service — currently at Rs. 24,250 basic for unskilled primary grade. This basic will rise to Rs. 40,000. We have hidden nothing. Some allege arithmetic errors — not so. Let me clarify:

¶ 04 Raising PL-1 to Rs. 40,000 implies the basic increases by Rs. 15,750. Today, public servants receive two allowances: the COLA of Rs. 17,800 and the previously introduced Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 2,500 (total Rs. 7,500). That Rs. 7,500 is absorbed into the Rs. 15,750 basic increment. From April, all public servants get this increase.

¶ 05 Hon. Harsha cited only PL-1. Let me add: of the Rs. 15,750 basic increase, Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 975 (from the remaining Rs. 3,250) will be granted this year — so PL-1 sees a Rs. 5,975 increase from April. Some circulated formulas showing only Rs. 165 increase — false. It must be clarified.

¶ 06 Moreover, the annual increment rises by 80 percent across service categories. For PL-1, the annual increment goes from Rs. 250 to Rs. 450. Let me give more examples.

¶ 07 For Grama Niladhari (MN-1-1), current basic is Rs. 28,940; it will rise to Rs. 50,630 within three years. Remember, COLA of Rs. 17,800 remains. So gross pay becomes Rs. 57,800. The gross increase from Rs. 28,940 to Rs. 50,630 is Rs. 21,690; net of the absorbed Rs. 7,500, the net increase is Rs. 14,190. Monthly take-home for a GN rises by Rs. 9,257.

¶ 08 On doctors: an MO’s current basic is Rs. 54,290; it rises to Rs. 91,750. That gross increase is Rs. 37,460; net of Rs. 7,500 absorption, Rs. 29,960 remains. From that, 30 percent of the net is paid this April to all public servants. Thus, an MO’s pay increases by Rs. 13,988 (5,000 + 8,988) from April. Regarding OT, currently it is Rs. 687 per hour; with the new scales it becomes Rs. 764 per hour for a new MO. Some are miscalculating.

¶ 09 For Development Officers, basic rises from Rs. 37,260 to Rs. 63,440; gross change Rs. 26,187; net Rs. 18,687; 30 percent this April is Rs. 5,606 — so April increase is Rs. 10,606 for a new entrant. Those with years of service also get higher increments. PL-1 annual increment rises by Rs. 210; by 2027, an additional Rs. 630 will accumulate.

¶ 10 Hon. Bimal Rathnayake: “State the figure for the lowest/newest employee.”

¶ 11 Answer: PL-1 — Rs. 5,975 from April.

¶ 12 For someone with five years, further increments apply — ten years implies ten increments (Rs. 250 each) added to the scale, making the increase higher accordingly.

¶ 13 Dr. Ramanathan Archchuna: Doctors currently have only 120 OT hours per month; please allow 200 hours so they can at least earn Rs. 2,000 more.

¶ 14 We will explain further in due course.

¶ 15 For MN-1 (Management Service Grade I), basic rises from Rs. 27,140 to Rs. 45,230; MN-2 from Rs. 28,940 to Rs. 48,470. So let us not spread misinformation.

¶ 16 As a former union leader, I campaigned for teachers’ salaries. Now some attack us — we are used to such slander. We will not be shaken. Our President Anura Dissanayake, our Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, and our team are committed to rebuilding over the next five years.

¶ 17 On teachers: current entry teacher salary is Rs. 31,490 with an increment of Rs. 445. It will rise to Rs. 53,060 within three years; increment increases to Rs. 800. On 1 April, the salary goes from Rs. 31,490 to Rs. 39,211 — an increase of Rs. 7,721. For a teacher with five years’ service, the increase is Rs. 8,253 at minimum.

¶ 18 For Grade 3-1 teachers: current salary Rs. 34,160; increment Rs. 525; target Rs. 57,860; increment rises to Rs. 940. For a graduate teacher joining on 1 April, the basic is Rs. 50,020; with COLA Rs. 17,800, the gross is Rs. 67,820. For Grade 2-II teachers: current Rs. 39,175; within three years Rs. 66,880; on 1 April, take-home Rs. 56,236 plus COLA Rs. 17,800 — total Rs. 73,350; with five years’ service, increase Rs. 10,559.

¶ 19 For Grade 2-I: current Rs. 47,425; rises to Rs. 81,780; increment from Rs. 1,335 to Rs. 2,400; on 1 April, take-home Rs. 66,481 plus COLA Rs. 17,800 — about Rs. 83,000; with five years’ service, increase Rs. 13,154.

¶ 20 For Grade 1 teachers: current Rs. 56,770; rises to Rs. 98,580 within three years; increment from Rs. 1,630 to Rs. 2,940; increase Rs. 13,793; with five years, Rs. 15,578. On 1 April, take-home is Rs. 78,063 plus COLA Rs. 17,800 — about Rs. 95,000.

¶ 21 For Principals Grade 3: current Rs. 42,175; rises to Rs. 72,280; increment from Rs. 930 to Rs. 1,670; on 1 April, salary Rs. 52,456 plus Rs. 17,800; increase Rs. 10,081; with five years, Rs. 11,391.

¶ 22 For Principals Grade 2: current Rs. 48,685; rises to Rs. 86,370; increment from Rs. 1,335 to Rs. 2,400; on 1 April, salary Rs. 61,240 plus Rs. 17,800; increase Rs. 12,555; with five years, Rs. 14,153.

¶ 23 For Principals Grade 1: current Rs. 58,345; rises to Rs. 103,740; increment from Rs. 1,650 to Rs. 2,970; on 1 April, increase Rs. 14,868; with five years, Rs. 16,848.

¶ 24 Some say, “This is not what the Sobodhini Committee recommended.” I have that report. For Grade 2-II teachers, they proposed Rs. 47,615; we are raising to Rs. 66,880. For Grade 2-I, they proposed Rs. 62,595; we are raising to Rs. 81,780. For Grade 1, they proposed Rs. 76,175; we are raising to Rs. 98,580. This does not mean all anomalies are gone. Some compare with advanced countries; to address structure and quality, the Education Ministry will introduce a modern teacher service structure and establish an Education Council to uplift standards and resolve residual anomalies — not a quick fix.

¶ 25 This Government is three months old today — 18th. From a caretaker trio we transitioned to a full Cabinet in mid-November. We will continue resolving issues. Teachers and all public servants gave us over 80 percent postal votes — we recognize and will honour that trust. We will not forget the role teachers played in the elections. This Budget both protects workers’ rights and the rights of all people — the first step of a long journey. We will build a production economy and lift the country. Do not judge by the cover; read the contents before rushing to criticize. If you cannot appreciate it, at least refrain from malice.

¶ 26 Thank you for the opportunity. Let us all — politicians, public servants, and citizens — join hands to build a more prosperous country and better lives through this first Budget of the National People’s Power Government.