• Minister says fuel allowance issue to be settled through Budget 

Public Administration Minister Prof. Chandana Abeyratne has criticised the ongoing trade union (TU) action by Grama Niladhari (GN) officers, saying it is unacceptable as the Government has already proposed solutions to their concerns, including the fuel allowance.

Speaking to the media, he said that during a recent discussion with the GN TU Alliance, the Government had expressed its willingness to address their concerns through the upcoming Budget.

Prof. Abeyratne said any TU action ultimately inconveniences the general public, adding that the failure to accept the proposed solution was causing difficulties for the public. He stressed that the necessary steps had already been taken to resolve the matter.

He said the Government had discussed the grievances of GN officers with TUs on several occasions and identified their key concerns. Prof Abeyratne said the matter was subsequently discussed with President and Finance Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Finance Ministry Secretary, following which the President had agreed to address the issue through a Budget proposal.

“This time, this issue will be resolved in the Budget. We explained that matter to the TU leaders,” he said.

While acknowledging that TUs have the right to engage in TU action, he said the Government had already taken steps to resolve the issue.

He also stressed that such action ultimately inconveniences the public.

“Whether the sanitation officer does a strike or the doctor stages a strike, the people are the ones who are inconvenienced,” he said.

However, the GN TU Alliance launched TU action on Monday (10) and continued it yesterday (11), citing several demands, including an increase in the fuel allowance. As a result, members of the public who visited GN offices to obtain services faced difficulties.

Alliance Chairperson Nandana Ranasinghe said the TU action would be intensified as the Government had not yet provided a solution to their demands.

“Today is the second day of our TU action, yet the administrative authorities and the Government have still failed to take our concerns seriously,” he said.

He said the Government could either provide the allowance through this year’s (2026) Budget or introduce a temporary allowance until the Budget proposal is implemented.

“If the Government pays attention to that and provides a temporary allowance until the Budget is approved, the TU action can be taken a step back,” he said.

Ranasinghe said the Ministry Secretary could also instruct Divisional Secretaries and Government Agents to limit the field duties of GN officers and issue a circular restricting excessive travel expenses.

He further warned that the TU action would continue if the Government failed to take steps to address their demands.

According to Ranasinghe, GN officers had decided not to report for duty island-wide from Monday until yesterday by taking sick leave, citing the authorities’ failure to increase their travel allowance and address several other demands.

He stressed that the Rs. 600 travel allowance provided to GNs had not been increased for the past eight years.

In 2024, Cabinet approval was granted to provide an allowance equivalent to the cost of 20 litres of fuel in place of the existing travel allowance.