The United Drivers’ Union states that there are currently more than 3,000 vacancies for drivers in central government institutions, it was reported.

The union has explained that this shortage has created numerous problems within the state driver service.

Union President U.A. Lakshman said that while 23,400 drivers are required to serve in government institutions, at present, only a little over 20,000 are in service.

He noted that this situation has arisen because drivers have not been properly recruited to central government institutions since 2016.

Due to the existing vacancies, some institutions have even had to withdraw vehicles from operation, while drivers in service are compelled to work significant overtime beyond their daily duty hours, he added.

However, he pointed out that overtime payments are made only for a limited number of hours.

According to standard procedure, drivers should be transferred to another service station after five years, but in some institutions, drivers have been working continuously for 10 to 12 years, which has caused serious injustice to them, the union president said.

He further stated that the number of vacancies has increased due to retirements, and urged that a program be prepared to expedite the recruitment of drivers in view of the current situation. (Newswire)

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that Rs. 11,000 million is required to settle the outstanding arrears of statutory allowances, such as the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF), Gratuity allowances and taxes of 10 state institutions. 

The institutions are: 

1. Lanka Sugar Company (Private) Limited
2. Janatha Estates Development Board
3. Sri Lanka State Plantations Corporation
4. Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corportaion
5. Ceylon Fisheries Corporation
6. National Livestock Development Board
7. Elkaduwa Plantations Limited
8. Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation
9. North Sea Limited
10. Ceylon Ceramics Corporation

It has been proposed to pay these unpaid statutory payments in phases and to allocate Rs. 5000 million for the year 2026. (Newswire)

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The government has taken steps to implement a special program aimed at removing unnecessary items accumulated within state institutions. 

This initiative, titled “Seiri Week,” is scheduled to run from 01-14 September, with the primary goal of creating a clean, safe, and health-conscious environment, free from hazards, so that public officials can carry out their duties freely and efficiently. 

The Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government has issued a special circular to facilitate this program.

This directive has been sent to all ministry secretaries, provincial chief secretaries, department heads, district secretaries, heads of state institutions, and statutory bodies.

The initiative aligns with the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ national program, and will focus on identifying what is essential versus what is unnecessary, and removing the latter. 

A set of operational guidelines for how state institutions should function during this week has also been released by the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government. (Newswire)

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Minister of Transport, Highways and Media Bandula Gunawardena has called for the digitization of five state institutions, which he identified as the most corrupt in Sri Lanka’s state sector. 

According to Daily Mirror, the Minister said the Sri Lanka Customs, Excise Department, Motor Traffic Department, Inland Revenue Department and Sri Lanka Railways are the five most corrupt state institutions in the nation. 

He pointed out that the volume of corruption was enormous enough to increase state revenue by 50 per cent if the institutions’ activities were digitized in a bid to curb errant practices.

Minister Gunawardena emphasized that digitization was the only means through which corruption and fraud could be rid of at these institutions.

Stating that attempts are underway to digitize the Motor Traffic Department despite various objections, he revealed that at least 20 per cent of vehicles in operation on roads had been registered fraudulently.   

Minister Bandula Gunawardena added that the government was unable to reach its revenue targets due to the five state departments involved in revenue generation being riddled with corruption and fraud. (NewsWire)

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