Gratuity payments take precedence on May Day - Minister
Priyanka KURUGALA
|
Minister Gamini Lokuge |
Labour Minister Gamini Lokuge told the Daily News, his ministry has
taken measures to solve all issues related to the payment of gratuity of
former workers in the Ceylon Transport Board, by end May. To mark the
forthcoming May Day the ministry has drawn up plans to provide funds for
gratuity payments, he said.
Following the intervention of President Mahinda Rajapaksa the
ministry was able to obtain funds from the Treasury. We have reserved Rs
2100 million for this task, he said.
The minister said 1,500 workers will receive their gratuity on May
Day as a symbolic move. The Ministry will also release the gratuity of
those workers who are no more.
The ministry has created a device to find out details about manpower
companies which are not paying EPF and ETF. If any company has more than
50 workers it has to be registered under the Labour Ministry, Lokuge
said.
At present the ministry is in the process of implementing the
National Identity Card Number as the EPF number for every employee. The
programme has commenced countrywide. Around 60 percent of employees in
the Western Province have already received the new EPF numbers, the
minister said. |
