State Minister of Finance and Plantation Enterprise Reforms Dr. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya stated that the President had consented to settle the EPF arrears owed to beneficiaries by plantation companies, utilising government funds. A Cabinet paper regarding this matter will soon be presented.
Dr. Siyambalapitiya said that nearly 2,000 legal cases have been initiated by estate workers to claim their overdue payments, yet justice has not been served. He emphasised the Government’s commitment to enhancing the plantation industry by safeguarding the workers’ fundamental rights and implementing necessary measures swiftly.
Additionally, he mentioned that although a plantation management unit exists to oversee the programme, it has proven inadequate. Consequently, the Government is planning to establish a new management authority to better handle the rights of plantation workers, infrastructure regularization, and other plantation-related activities.
Jayasiri Munasinghe