The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the recruitment of 15,839 vacancies across ministries and provincial councils, following recommendations made by a committee appointed under the leadership of the Secretary to the Prime Minister to review the public service recruitment process.

The committee, established with Cabinet approval on 30 December 2024, was tasked with identifying needs, priorities, and timelines for essential recruitments. 

Requests submitted by ministries to fill vacancies in departments and institutions under their purview were reviewed at the committee meeting held on 12 February 2026.

Based on its recommendations, Cabinet approval was granted for the following recruitments:

1. Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education – 300
2. Ministry of Justice and National Integration – 67
3. Ministry of Defence – 9,794
4. Ministry of Industries and Enterprise Development – 112
5. Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development – 121
6. Ministry of Buddhist Affairs, Religious and Cultural Affairs – 02
7. Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs – 1,915
8. Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government – 66
9. Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation – 60
10. Ministry of Health and Mass Media – 776
11. Ministry of Science and Technology – 201
12. Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and Development – 214
13. Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment – 15
14. Ministry of Environment – 213
15. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports – 06
16. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism – 03
17. Ministry of Labour – 01
18. Ministry of Plantations and Community Infrastructure – 09
19. Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation – 339
20. Ministry of Power and Energy – 01
21. Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development – 50
22. Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply – 10
23. Central Provincial Council – 22
24. Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council – 236
25. Wayamba Provincial Council – 401
26. North Central Provincial Council – 66
27. Eastern Provincial Council – 282
28. Uva Provincial Council – 146
29. Northern Provincial Council – 411

This large‑scale recruitment drive is expected to strengthen staffing across critical ministries and provincial administrations, addressing long‑standing vacancies in the public service. (Newswire)

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Former Minister Kanchana Wijesekera alleges that the recent statement made by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya on the former government’s proposal related to state sector salaries was false and misleading.

Taking to ‘X’, Kanchana Wijesekera said that the previous government of Ranil Wickremesinghe took all the necessary steps per the procedures to approve the salary increments for state sector employees from January 2025. 

“The approval of the Cabinet was granted to appoint a committee and to evaluate the state sector and the salary increments in May 2024. The committee met with trade unions and stakeholders to discuss the state sector issues. The committee recommendations were handed over to the President and were presented to the cabinet and approved in August 2024,” he said. 

The former minister further said that in August 2024, the Cabinet approved the incorporation of the recommendations in the 2025 Budget proposals and to allocate the necessary funds. 

Kanchana Wijesekera revealed that the committee comprised officials from the Treasury, Budget Department, Management Services and other necessary stakeholders. 

His comments come in response to PM Harini Amarasuriya’s recent claims that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe had announced a Cabinet decision to increase public servant salaries, but the necessary procedures to implement this decision were not followed.

“Although Ranil Wickremesinghe claims that a decision was taken to raise the salaries of public servants, when reviewing this Cabinet decision, it’s evident that it was not approved with consent from the Treasury or officials from the Ministry of Finance. A decision was announced, but the necessary actions to implement it were not taken. So, what does that mean? It clearly indicates a false promise given during the election period to mislead the public,” the Premier said while speaking at a public gathering in Padukka earlier this week. (Newswire)

The statement made by Prime Minister @Dr_HariniA is false and misleading on the state sector salary’s.

The previous Govt of @RW_SRILANKA took all the necessary steps in accordance with the procedures to approve the salary increments for the state sector employees from January… pic.twitter.com/ek64gXM4cM

— Kanchana Wijesekera (@kanchana_wij) October 29, 2024

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Former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Mujibur Rahman claims President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has failed to change the practice of political appointees to state services, and was continuing it.

Addressing the media, Mujibur Rahman pointed out that the President’s recent appointments to state services are those who backed his election campaign.

“A large number of state sector workers voted for President Dissanayake. Postal votes prove this, as 60%- 70% of the votes were for the NPP. However, the state sector is facing an issue, as instead of suitable persons from the state services, those who backed the President are being appointed to senior positions,” the former MP said. 

Stating that the state sector did not expect this, he said they expected the President to get rid of the practice of political appointees to the state services and provide opportunities for deserving employees to move upwards in the sector. 

“The allegations raised by the NPP in the past on political appointees to the state services are being repeated by the new administration, without implementing changes as promised,” he said. 

Former MP Mujibur Rahman warned that this could result in a crisis within the State Sector in the future. (Newswire)

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The Government is looking at the possibility of increasing some of the salaries of State employees in the last quarter, United National Party (UNP) General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara stated.

Addressing the media yesterday (May 07), Range Bandara stated that the public will benefit if they are able to reach close to the target expected by the government.

“Sri Lanka has now overcome bankruptcy. The public has received all the benefits from this,” he said.

The UNP General Secretary further said that the President has promised that while reviving the economy it is expected to increase the salaries of the public sector in the last quarter.

“This is why measures are being taken to collect money and increase revenue. If the government is able to achieve the expected target, then state-sector employees will receive the benefits,” he added. (NewsWire)

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