State executive officers demand rectification of salary anomalies, substantial pay increase

By saman Indrajith

Officers in most state sector institutions are not represented in the Public Service Commission, President of the Joint Committee of Government Executive Officers, H. A. L. Udayasiri has said.

Most members of the Commission are from the administrative service and there is no one representing the officials in sectors such as agriculture, engineering and tax collection, Ubayasiri said.

“Government executive officers plan, implement, and supervise the development projects for which funds are allocated from the national Budget. They are also entrusted with maintaining all public services and guiding and leading the 1.3 million state employees. However, they are facing many grievances, and that’s why we held a two-day union action last week,” Ubayasiri said.

They had made two key demands, Ubayasiri said. They were the rectification of salary anomalies created in 2018 by increasing the salaries of three chosen sectors and a salary increase in view of the soaring cost of living.

“The problems started in 2018, when the government violated the national salaries and wages policy. That year, a big salary discrepancy was created when the government increased salaries of officials at the Attorney General’s Department, judicial services and Legal Draftsman’s Department. They received a 300% pay and perk hike,” he said.

Udayasiri said that state employees had received a 10,000-rupee salary increase this year. “State executive officers hold more responsibilities than others in the public service. In 1975 the public sector salary ratio (calculated on the basis of salaries drawn by the lowest untrained labourer and Ministry Secretaries) was 1 to 9.5 ratio but it had decreased to 1 to 4.5.

“We demand that the ratio should be 1 to 8. This will take time and until then, we need a temporary solution. The basic salary of a new state executive officer is Rs 46,615. But the salary of a junior state counsel of the AG’s Department is much higher, Udayasiri said, adding that a junior state counsel of the AG’s Department, just joining the service, received a travel allowance of Rs 100,000. However, this is not a benefit other state officials receive even after 18 years,” he said.