Especially, the government sector has seen a salary increase of Rs. 10,000, while a policy decision has been made regarding the salary increase in the private sector. Additionally, the government has decided to increase the pension from Rs. 2,500 and they are also making efforts to raise the salary of plantation workers, said Director General of Presidential Trade Union Affairs Saman Ratnapriya.
He stated this while addressing a press conference held at the Sirikotha Party Headquarters yesterday (24).
He further said that “today marks a significant day for Sri Lanka as the Uma Oya project has finally begun in 2024. Despite various obstacles, including opposition from the Janatha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP), the project, which was started in 2010, has been inaugurated. It was a collaborative effort between Sri Lanka and Iran, with Iran contributing US$ 100 million towards the project, Ratnapriya said.
This project will add 120 megawatts of power to the national grid, supply water to 15,000 acres of paddy fields, and provide water to 30,000 acres of crops in the Hambantota district, he said.
The JVP has opposed and sabotaged many projects, such as investing in oil tanks in Trincomalee with India, the Sampur plant, and the Norochcholai power plant, hindering Sri Lanka’s development, he said.
“Last week, news spread throughout the country that the rice provided to schoolchildren was of substandard quality. However, this statement is not true. Only 19 percent of the rice stock was found to contain rice weevils, which was considered substandard quality. Moreover, the rice was subjected to testing before being given for consumption.
“The rice was procured with the aid of the World Health Organization in December, and the programme to provide schoolchildren with lunch was implemented in March,” Ratnapriya said.
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