Government to recruit 20, 000 unemployed graduates

The government yesterday said it would recruit 20, 000 unemployed graduates in two phases this year.

A proposal to this end by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as National Policies and Economic Affairs Minister has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

The first batch of graduates, totaling 5,000 will be recruited this July and the second batch of 15, 000 graduates will be recruited by September for training.

During the training period, they will be paid an allowance of Rs.20, 000 each and once the training is completed they will be recruited as development officers, the Government Department of Information conveying the decisions of the Cabinet Ministers’ meeting on May 30, said. 

It also said that more graduates will be recruited next year.

Sri Lanka’s bloated public sector is already employing nearly 1.5 million people, including military and police personnel, who amount to about 400, 000 and their salary bill accounts for a large portion of the government revenue, which largely consists of income gained through taxes.

The size of Sri Lanka’s public sector expanded by 50 percent between 2006 and 2013.