Gratuity payments for pensioners to be paid soon:PM

The retirement gratuity payments of pensioners held up from January 2022 is to be paid soon,  Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has assured.

The Prime Minister said that a Cabinet paper was presented in this regard and arrangements will be made to make these payments in accordance to that in two parts after obtaining the approval of the Treasury.

This was disclosed at the Ministerial Consultative Committee meeting held in Parliament this week under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister who is also the  Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government Dinesh Gunawardena, when the parliamentarians inquired about the delay in retirement gratuities.

The Director General of Pensions said that as a result of the delay in the release of money by the Treasury due to the economic crisis in the country, a large number of people are on the waiting list expecting the retirement gratuity.

He said that all payments up to January 2022 have been made. He further said that the Treasury has agreed to release the money required for payments from January 2022 up to the remaining period and accordingly, said that the money is expected to be given.

The Director General of Pensions also said that also, due to the reduction of the retirement age to 60 years, it is expected that new applications will be received after December 31^st this year. He said that a special program has been prepared to provide the basic pension to all of them promptly.