Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2021-08-30

Provision of additional allocations for the payment of Widows, Widowers and Orphans Pension

- The General Treasury is to incur a sum of around Rs.300,000 million for the retirement benefits of the Public Servants for the year 2021 and under this, provision of Rs.35,500 million has been allocated solely for the payment of Widows, Widowers and Orphans Pension. Of the said sum, Rs.26,367 million has been spent by 30th June 2021 and an additional provision of Rs.19,000 million is required for the balance period of the year. The required provisions for the payment of Widows, Widowers and Orphans Pension is allocated under the 'Special Law Provisions' and the power for the same is vested in the Minister of Finance in terms of Article 150(2) of the Constitution. As such, the Cabinet of Ministers noted that action has been taken to provide Rs.19,000 million under the Expenditure Head of the Department of Pensions, through the Special Law Warrant (Supplementary) signed by the Minister of Finance.