Productivity in Public Service vital

Human Resources - Senior Minister DEW Gunasekera

Q: You have said that the public service is wieldy to sustain and as such there should not be further recruitments. Could you elaborate?

A: The present strength of the public service is over 1.3 million whereas the total population is nearly 21 million.

The government could barely afford to pay the monthly salaries EPF and ETF under the current economic set up.

Q: Ministries, Departments and other State sector organisations are service providers and the community cannot be run on a profit basis unless the private sector is geared to run profitably.

Do you propose ways and means to make it more productive and less costly so that its continuance could be ensured.

A: Ensuring optimum productivity in the public service is important. What is important is to improve the efficiency of the present cadre and not to further expand the strength.

Showers expected

Meteorological Department Director General - S.H. Kariyawasam

Q: Could you forecast the weather conditions in the next few days?

A: Due to fairly active South-West monsoonal conditions showers would occur at times in the Western, Southern, Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces and in the Kurunegala District. Isolated thunder showers would also develop in the Eastern and Uva Provinces during the afternoons.

Q: What will be the situation in the North Central Province (NCP)

A: Showers can be expected in NCP during the inter monsoon which will commence by the end of September.

There will be isolated showers in the NCP since the South West Monsoon will become weak.

Relief measures

Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S.M. Chandrasena

Q: What are the relief measures provided to the drought-hit farmers of the North Central Province.

A: A series of relief measures are in place at the moment. The Government has already decided to defer the repayment of loans obtained by farmers in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa Districts, over 5,000 Agro-wells will be built soon near the dried tanks in Anuradhapura to ease the water crisis.

Q: Are there plans to renovate the agro-wells built some years ago.

A: In the Anuradhapura District alone there are over 4,000 agrarian wells. Twelve backhoe machines and 200 water motors have already been provided. Rs.10,000 per tank will be released to renovate dilapidated tanks.