Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera on Tuesday (18) stated that, the Present government has increased and double the salary of state employees within a period of five years and not a single past government in the history has increased public servants’ salary in this manner.

“While continuing the development of the country, we did not forget the public servants.” Minister Samaraweera told Parliament.

Speaking further finance minister noted that, in addition to the current cost of living allowance of Rs.7, 800/-, all public servants will get another interim allowance of Rs.2, 500/- effective end of this month.

Below is the Full statement made by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera in parliament on 18.06.2019

I would like to state several words on the current economic situation of the country at this moment as some orders issued under the Act to Streamline the Insurance Industry and some amendments introduced to the Excise Ordinance are taken for debate in this house.

I would like to remind this house that our country has been on a successful long term development path amid various challenges, difficulties and drawbacks. Although certain disappointed political refugees who maliciously blame us, we have been able to lay a strong economic foundation in the country during the last few years.

The reason for such situation is that our ability to launch a successful socio-economic development program thereby empowering the common masses while strengthening the national economy, without adhering to personal benefits, private agendas or any other perks and committing irregularities. Even after a brutal terrorist attacks, we have been able to maintain our GDP and Per Capita Income at a higher level while sustaining the macro-economic situation and, controlling inflation and unemployment.

Let’s keep my words aside, but when we draw our attention on the socio economic development of the country, the most powerful and renowned international professional institution has come to a positive conclusion on this country. As a result, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and United States Agency for International Development have been continuously granting us development assistance.

If I comment on that, we received international aid for more than US$1,200 million during the last few months. A few weeks ago, we received World Bank aid of US$70 million for rural development programs. In addition, US$152 million were granted for three projects.

At the same time, in last May, International Monetary Fund approved US$164 million, US$480 million under the United States Millennium Challenge Account and, US$50 million for the Asian Development Micro and Medium Scale Enterprise loan. In addition, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank approved US$280 million for Colombo city renovation and prevention of earthslips. At the same time, we have been discussing with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to obtain nearly an additional US$1000 million for further development of the Power and Highway sectors.

This international cooperation and aid are extended to us not for our personal friendship. They are satisfied with our national economic policy. The entire world has admitted today that the development goals of a country cannot be achieved just based on mere economic statistics. Countries are achieving such goals through a development path based on human development fundamentals by creating entrepreneurs, empowering the masses, encouraging the export industry, strengthening the welfare sectors such as education and health and, improving the infrastructure facilities.

Under our government, we took the true development to the village. There are currently projects worth of Rs.48, 000 million under Gamperaliya program, functioning throughout the country. The whole country has turned into a workstation. This has enabled small contractors and merchants in the village and, rural community organizations have been able to earn income and achieve their own development while contributing to the development in their own neighborhood.

98,000 development projects under Gamperaliya have been launched only within this year. Not only that, in addition to the Rs.300 million Gamperaliya development grants that has been allocated already per village, another Rs.100 million grant will be released soon under the next step. Rs.8, 000 million grants will be allocated to build 5 sermon halls in each electorate thereby helping 800 temples throughout the country.

We will help develop every place of worship irrespective of their faith – Buddhist, Catholic, Islam or Hindu and, will take action to prevent propagation of fundamentalist movements, and extremists of other faiths as well who are spreading hate and anger. Our aim is to turn this country into a place where our young generation does not fight based on different religious faiths.

Hon, Speaker, while continuing the development of the country, we did not forget the public servants.

In addition to the current cost of living allowance of Rs.7, 800/-, all public servants will get another interim allowance of Rs.2, 500/- effective end of this month.

I think it is important to remind you the public servants salary positions when we came to power in 2015. At the same time, let me remind the projection of public salary increments under our government by 2020.

Our government has doubled the salary of all of these public servants or more than that within a period of 5 years. Not a single past government in the history has increased public servants’ salary in this manner.

Hon. Speaker, not only that, we increased the salary of pensioners’ community as they endured grievances for years. More than five hundred and fifty thousand public servants who retired before the month of December, 2015, will be able to collect a considerable salary increment by the end of this month.  Let me present some details on the increase of pensioners’ salaries.

Hon Speaker, further to this, all the public servants who retired after 2015 will be paid an Interim allowance of Rs.3,500/- in addition to the current allowance of Rs.3,525/- and the cost of living allowance.

Hon Speaker, We have done this but those who scream about patriotism and the others who attempt to do politics on the shoulders of the war heroes, failed to do this for the last 20 years. That is the increase of the quota allowance up to Rs.23, 231/- for the tri forces officers and, the increase of the same allowance for the other ranks up to Rs.19, 350/- effective from January 2019. Doing so, we have given the war heroes their due respects. Not only this, their house rent is also doubled. The tri forces commando allowance is increased to Rs.5000/- from Rs.1000/-. The Good conduct allowance and the uniform allowance for security forces have also been increased effective this month.  We take action to treat tri forces profession as a service. They do not hoodwink with intentions to gain political perks.

Hon Speaker, while increasing the salaries of the public servants in this manner, the other members of the society are also not neglected at any time. When preparing our budget, we thought of those who are not recognized in this society but need urgent humanitarian attention.

There are 32,000 differently abled registered persons in this country. Each of them is paid a monthly allowance of Rs.3, 000 by the government. We have increased this allowance up to Rs.5000/- effective end of this month. At the same time, we have increased the number of such beneficiaries up to 72,000 from 32,000. This has enabled 40,000 additional individuals to receive this benefit.

First time in the history, in last April, Rs.15, 000 was released from their compulsory saving for the Samurdhi beneficiaries those who had become political stooges. In addition, our government began to pay Samurdhi benefits to six hundred thousand new beneficiaries who had been marginalized due to their political affiliations.

Hon Speaker, in addition, the number of kidney patients who are paid a medical grant of Rs.5000/- was increased to 26,000 from 21,000 thereby cancelling the patients’ waiting list.

I simply mentioned above only a minute details out of a plenty of work our government carried out for the development of the country and its people. I would like to say that our achievements are not only quantitatively but also qualitatively huge.

I do not expect to further continue my speech. But before I conclude, I would like to say that we are firmly stable, systematic and have gained a steady economic foundation and, under such circumstances, it is important to achieve further development in the country.