Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday instructed the relevant officials to formulate a scheme to pay compensation from the Agrahara Insurance Fund to public servants who are receiving treatment at home due to the covid-19 epidemic. The Prime Minister made this announcement during a discussion with representatives of the trade unions of the SLPP and the United Trade Unions at Temple Trees.
Earlier, the then Prime Minister as the then Minister of Finance had taken steps to implement the Agrahara Insurance Compensation Scheme in the 2021 Budget Proposals for the loss of lives and hospital treatment of public employees due to covid-19.
The trade unions presented issues to the Prime Minister regarding the need to make the public service more efficient. It was also explained how the problems between senior officials and employees at the institutional level have affected the functioning of government institutions.
The Prime Minister pointed out the need to increase efficiency and productivity in the public service and the need for the responsible officials to take action. It was also emphasized that local and foreign training opportunities for public servants should be increased for this purpose.
The trade union representatives expressed their views regarding the recovery of the pension lost by the previous good governance government to the employees who joined the public service after the year 2016. Mahinda Rajapaksa has immediately informed the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration to look into the matter. The increase in the cost of living as well as the increase in pensions was also discussed.
