President proposes to amend the retirement age

 President Ranil Wickeremesinghe has proposed to reduce the retirement age of general state employees to sixty years as part of the reforms in the public sector..

A senior official said that the President has instructed include the amendment of the retirement age as a proposal of the upcoming budget.

However this retirement age amendment would not implement for doctors Engineers as well as administrative service officials.

During the previous regime the retirement age was made 65 years, this was a move which was criticized by many people who were scheduled to retire during the time.

Apart from that president had also called to amend five years no pay leave scheme for state sector employees who are willing to fly abroad for an overseas job. Accordingly the five year leave will also be applicable for employees who would work at private sector for five years period.

Even though the employees are granted no pay leave their grades and seniority would not be affected. The official said that these proposals are targeted to reduce the expenditure of state sector.

 He added the President also has instructed authorities to allow one year leave of state sector employees who are willing to improve their English skills by joining courses. The president said that the English skills of the state sector employees too need to be improved.