“These project offices are managed by specialists and consultants recruited for high salaries. Given the economic situation, the Government is no longer in a position to continue the same with high salaries and staff,” Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena said at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.

The proposal to this effect submitted by President Ranil Wickremesinghe was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

As per him, a committee headed by former Ministry Secretary H.G. Kamal Padmasiri was appointed to examine the necessity of such offices.

“The committee recommended closing down 55 offices, suspending the operations of 32 offices and continuing operations in 46 offices with a minimum required staff,” Gunawardena added.