Public sector to be paid Rs. 2,500 in July

• Finance Ministry says Cost of Living allowance will also resume

The Finance Ministry yesterday issued a circular for all public sector employees to be paid a special interim monthly allowance of Rs. 2500, effective from July. 

The measure was announced in Budget 2019 by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera.  “As announced by the Minister of Finance Mangala Samaraweera at Budget 2019, all public sector employees will be paid a special interim monthly allowance of Rs. 2500.00 effective from 01 July 2019. A circular in this regard has already been issued by the Ministry of Public Administration and Disaster Management, with the consent of the Treasury, to all Secretaries to Ministries, Chief Provincial Secretaries, and the Heads of Departments,” a short statement from the Finance Ministry said. 

Though this new interim allowance is paid to public officials from July 2019, the payment of Cost of Living allowance of Rs. 7800.00 will be continued in the future too, the statement added.