Wednesday Jan 21, 2026
Wednesday Jan 21, 2026
Wednesday, 21 January 2026 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Cabinet Spokesman and Minister
Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa
The Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved amendments to the pension-related provisions in the appointment letters of all public officers recruited into the public service on or after 1 January 2016, confirming their entitlement to the existing pension scheme.
Under the approved changes, the relevant clause in appointment letters will be revised to state: “These appointments are pensionable. Furthermore, you should contribute to the Widows and Orphans Pension Scheme/Widowers and Orphans Pension Scheme. You should pay contributions for the same as prescribed by the Government from time to time.”
The Cabinet of Ministers has also approved the issuance of circular instructions to give effect to the decision.
In line with the 2016 Budget proposal to introduce a contributory retirement system for government servants, appointment letters issued to officers recruited from 1 January 2016, included a provision stating that while appointments were pensionable, officers would be subject to a future government policy decision regarding the pension scheme applicable to them.
However, no new pension scheme has been implemented for public officers recruited after that date. “In this context, the 2026 Budget proposed amending the conditions stated in the appointment letters to remove ambiguity and formally confirm their eligibility for the existing pension scheme,” Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the decision at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.
He said the move seeks to regularise pension entitlements for affected public servants and provide clarity on their retirement benefits.
