Over half a million retired public servants are expected to benefit from the next month’s implementation of the adjustments to pensioners’ salary anomalies.
The anomaly adjustments were proposed by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera in his Budget for 2019 and will be brought into effect from next month, benefitting over 500,000 public servants who have retired before December 31, 2015.
The monthly salary of public servants who retired before 31.12.2015. will now be increased by a minimum of Rs.2,800 and a maximum of Rs.20,000. These pensioners will receive this monetary benefit based on the removal of the anomaly that existed in the pension of those who retired before December 31, 2015.
This salary anomaly was created as a result of those who retired before December 31, 2015, and others who retired thereafter being considered under two different circulars. Pensions were paid to the public servants who retired before December 31, 2015 under Circular 05/2015, while their counterparts who retired thereafter were paid pensions under Circular 03/2016.
The salary amendments are made systematically until 2020 for the pensioners coming under 03/2016 and their basic salary will be increased by 107 % in 2020 when compared with that of 2016.
Accordingly, the salary of a retired KKS Grade I who retired before 31.12.2015 has been increased by Rs.2800. The salary of a retired Management Assistant Grade I has been increased by Rs.5,200 under the proposed new pension scheme.
The pensions of teachers in Grade One Service I will be increased by Rs.9,200 and the salary of a retired Nursing Officer will be increased by Rs.9,200. The salary of a retired Police Sergeant will be increased by Rs.4200.
A retired senior executive officer will get an increase of Rs.16,000 and the salary of a ministry secretary who retired before 31.12.2015 will be increased by Rs.20,000.
An Interim allowance of Rs.3,500, paid to the pensioners who retired under the Circular 05/2015, until this new salary anomaly was removed will be included to the new salary structure. Further, he cost of living allowance of Rs.3,525 paid at present will be continued to be paid to all pensioners.
Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera in his Budget – 2019 had announced the removal of this pension anomaly of over 500,000 pensioners and had allocated Rs.12,000 million in its budget to pay these salary increments to pensioners.