Public sector employees unions criticise the Budget proposals with regard to the provisions allocated to them stating that promises made have not been fulfilled through next years’ Budget.
According to the budget proposals, public sector employees were to receive a Cost of Living (CoL) allowance of Rs. 1000. However it was decided on a previous occasion that Rs. 375 would be given to all public sector employees as CoL allowance from January 2009.
“We would benefit by only Rs. 625 as CoL allowance from the Budget proposal. With the fuel price reduction having little impact and the imposing of taxes on essential items, the public sector employee is more burdened” said .State Services Combined Trades Union president U. Palihawadane.
Meanwhile teachers too find in the Budget proposals a fruitless attempt to find solutions for the ongoing salary anomalies issue of teachers and principals.
Teacher Services Union President Joseph Stalin commenting on the Budget proposals said only Rs. 3,000 million has been allocated to rectify salary anomalies in the teachers and principals service although the Education Ministry had stated last year that Rs. 6,700 million was needed to rectify them.
“Not only has a smaller sum of Rs. 3,000 million been allocated but even the salary anomalies in the judicial service are expected to be rectified by using monies from this allocated amount,” he added. | 
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