“We understand that public sector salaries need to be adjusted to reflect the rising cost of living. However, we cannot yet confirm whether the financial capacity exists to implement the salary hike from 1 January 2025, as planned by the former administration,” Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Vijitha Herath said at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.

He explained that the decision on salary increments would be made during the formulation of the 2025 Budget.“We agree in principle that public sector wages should be increased, but the mechanism and feasibility will only be determined through the budgetary process,” he added.

Herath assured that the new Government is committed to fulfilling the needs of the people, though these aspirations would be realised gradually.