The Collective of Pensioners' Unions (CPU) urged the Government to pay the gratuity payment for pensioners who have not received it yet even after two or three years of retirement.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (29), the CPU Co-Convenor G.W. Gamini said that some of the pensioners who retired in 2021-2022 have not received their gratuity yet, and that the Union is receiving so many grievances from many parties regarding the issue. Stating that the Treasury is reportedly making plans to pay the gratuity group-wise, he said that there cannot be any issue in paying them since a specific amount has been deposited in the relevant Fund by each public servant.

He further stated that several meetings have been held with the officials of the Department of Pensions, but that no progress has been seen by the pensioners regarding the issue. He also noted that the Parliamentary Committee on Ways and Means made certain interventions to expedite the process, and that the pensioners’ unions met with the Director General of the Pensions Department, Jagath Dias, to discuss the matter further.

Speaking on the hardships faced by the pensioners due to not receiving the particular entitlement, he stated that the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilisation, and National Policies and the President himself as the subject Minister have to look into the matter very seriously without causing more inconveniences to the pensioners. He stressed that the Government has disregarded the issues of pensioners while giving benefits to serving public servants. Therefore, he urged the Government to pay the gratuity for pensioners in a suitable way without delaying it anymore, as any further delay could disappoint the pensioners further.

The State Ministers of Finance, Shehan Semasinghe and Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, and the Director General of the Department of Pensions were unavailable for comment.