Saturday May 30, 2026
Saturday May 30, 2026
Friday, 29 May 2026 06:36 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared 15 categories of public services as essential services under the Essential Public Services Act, No. 61 of 1979, through an Extraordinary Gazette issued yesterday (28), in a move aimed at maintaining continuity of public life amid the prevailing post-disaster situation across the country.
The Gazette Notification states that the order was issued in view of the need to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of critical services provided by State institutions, including departments, corporations, local authorities, cooperative societies, and their respective branches.
The declaration covers a wide range of sectors deemed vital for public welfare and economic stability. These include electricity supply, fuel and gas distribution, hospital and healthcare services, public transport, road and railway services, as well as airport and port operations.
It also extends to water supply and drainage services, distribution of food and other essential goods, ambulance services, telecommunications, and media services.
In addition, services carried out by District Secretariats, Divisional Secretariats, Grama Niladharis, Samurdhi officers, agricultural research assistants, and other field-level public officers have been brought under the essential services category.
The list also includes State banking and insurance services, sanitation and waste management services provided by local authorities, irrigation services, land reclamation and development activities, and agricultural services, including agricultural insurance.
The Extraordinary Gazette was issued under the powers vested in the President by Section 2 of the Essential Public Services Act, formalising the expanded classification of services deemed critical for public continuity and emergency response.
