President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided to re-commence, without delay, the programme to provide employment opportunities to 150,000 persons that was halted due to the General Election, the President’s Media Division said.

The number of unemployed graduates to be recruited is 50,000. For the remaining 100,000 jobs, candidates will be selected from families of the lowest strata of income earners in the society.  

The programme to employ 50,000 graduates and 100,000 low-income earners was formulated within weeks after President Rajapaksa assuming office in November last year.

Shortlisting suitable candidates from applications received from graduates commenced in the first week of February. A Multi-Purpose Development Task Force was established to recruit 100,000 low-income earners. 

The objective of the programme is to transform Sri Lanka into a country free from poverty as per the “Saubhagyaye Dekma” policy statement of the President, the PMD said.  

Chairman of the Election Commission directed to suspend the program to offer jobs for 150,000 unemployed persons following the announcement of the General Election 2020. Accordingly, the programme was suspended. 

Immediately after the conclusion of the General election on the 5th of August, President Rajapaksa took measures to establish the executive of the Government adhering to the provisions given in Chapter VIII of the Constitution.

The Prime Minister of the new government took oaths on Sunday, the 9th of August. The Secretary to the Prime Minister was appointed on the following day. A week after the election on August 12, both Cabinet ministers and state ministers were sworn in.  Secretaries to the Ministries were appointed on the following day (August 13). 

The inaugural parliamentary session will ceremonially commence on the next Thursday (20).  Following the formal establishment of the administration, the President has decided to implement the programme of providing 150,000 employment opportunities without any delay. 

The relevant list of graduates eligible for employment will be published on the official website of the Ministry of Public Services, Provincial Councils and Local Government on next Monday (17). 

The respective Ministry will commence sending letters of appointment to those who got selected immediately. Appointed candidates should report to their nearest Divisional Secretariat on September 02. 

The programme to provide employment to 100,000 poorest of the poor will be implemented by the Task Force established solely for this purpose from 02nd, September.

-PMD