UNP slashed public service by 30 percent

Gamini CHANDRASENA - Katugastota group corr.

Whereas the 2002 UNP regime curtailed the Public Service by 30 percent and sent public servants on retirement with a meagre gratuity, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has strengthened the public service by amalgamating a batch of 44,000 graduates to the Ministry in charge of the Divi Neguma programme. This recruitment is purely a decision made by the UPFA rather than an administrative decision, International coperation Senior Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama said.

He was addressing a meeting held at the Galagedara Divisional Secretariat auditorium to mark the handing over of appointment letters to a batch of 136 graduates recruited to the Economic Development Ministry (Divi Neguma) from Galagedara and Hataraliyadda DS divisions.

Dr. Amunugama said the government not only made new recruitments to the Public Service but also worked in a people-friendly manner by amending archaic laws and regulations which impeded growth to establish a strong Public Service. Dr. Amunugama said President Rajapaksa had come to know that the people are not receiving 100 percent attention to their needs from the Public Service.

Therefore, the President had decided to attend District Coordinating Committee meeting to personally inspect the work accomplished in the district and attend to any shortcomings. He said although the Finance Ministry has decided that economic development loans should be extended to rural folk by the state banks there were certain officials who rejected loan applications on frivolous reasons. He said the Public Service is overburdened with too much paper work due to the obsolete AR and FR which ought to be changed to suit modern times. Galagedara Divisional Secretary S. Senanayake also spoke.