President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a wide range of public sector functions as essential services under the Essential Public Services Act, as authorities move to maintain uninterrupted public services following the recent disaster situation affecting parts of the country.
Reason:
The declaration was made through an Extraordinary Gazette issued on Thursday, with the government stating that the decision was taken to ensure the continuation of normal public life during the ongoing post-disaster recovery period.
Institutions Covered Under this:
The gazette covers services provided by government departments, state corporations, local authorities, cooperative societies, and their affiliated branches, reflecting the broad range of sectors considered critical to daily operations and emergency response.
- Among the services declared essential are electricity supply, fuel and gas distribution, public transport, railway operations, hospital and healthcare services, airport and port activities, water supply and drainage services, food distribution, and ambulance services.
- Telecommunications and media services have also been included, alongside sanitation and waste management operations carried out by local authorities.
The declaration further extends to several field-level public sector functions that play a direct role in community coordination and welfare, including services carried out by District Secretariats, Divisional Secretariats, Grama Niladharis, Samurdhi officers, and agricultural research assistants.
- State banking and insurance services, irrigation operations, land reclamation and development services, as well as agricultural and agricultural insurance services, were also listed under the essential services order.
- For the public, the move signals the government’s intention to prevent disruptions to critical services during the recovery period, particularly in sectors linked to transport, healthcare, utilities, food supply, and local administration.
The Extraordinary Gazette was issued under powers vested in the President through Section 2 of the Essential Public Services Act No. 61 of 1979.
Gazette Release Government Decisions Presidential Affairs
Last modified: May 28, 2026
