Permanency for 1500 Railway casual hands

Rajmi Manatunga

COLOMBO: The Government has decided to grant permanent employment to 1,500 casual employees attached to the Railways Department.

Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said that the 1,500 employees, attached to different fields of work in the Department will be made permanent within the next three months.

“We have already discussed the matter with the Management Services Department. The proposal will be approved following a discussion to be held on Friday,” he said. According to the Minister, permanent employment will be granted to 800 casual workers within this month as an initial step.

Alahapperuma also pledged to take swift measures to grant promotions to eligible employees in the Department ranging from the labourers to Station Masters who have been denied their due promotions during the last 15 years.

“Our objective is to implement every proposal in the Mahinda Chinthana relating to transport and ensure a quality public transport service to the commuters. It is the belief of President Mahinda Rajapaksa that the Railway could be revived if corruption in the Department could be reduced at least by 50 per cent”.