Govt. declares Wednesdays holiday for public sector

2026-03-17 - 04:06

The Government has decided to declare Wednesdays of every week as a holiday for public sector employees until further notice, as a pre-emptive measure to address potential future fuel shortages. Commissioner General of Essential Services – Prabath Chandrakeerthi, stated that although sufficient fuel stocks are currently available in the country, the decision has been taken based on forward projections to prepare for possible energy-related challenges. He made these remarks at a media briefing held yesterday (March 16) at the Department of Government Information. Accordingly, the weekly holiday will apply to all government institutions, including schools, universities, and the courts. However, essential services such as healthcare, ports, water supply, and customs will continue to operate without interruption. The Government has also taken steps to temporarily suspend all non-essential state events until further notice. Discussions are due to be held with the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) and the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) on the possibility of extending this arrangement to the private sector. Meanwhile, the Cabinet of Ministers has appointed 04 key committees to assess the current situation and oversee future operations. Accordingly: A committee chaired by the Prime Minister has been appointed to maintain public services. An Energy Committee has been appointed under the chairmanship of Minister Vijitha Herath. A committee headed by Minister Bimal Rathnayake has been appointed to oversee the distribution and supervision of essential goods. A committee chaired by Minister Upali Pannilage has been appointed to provide welfare facilities for various social groups. The existing QR code-based fuel quota system will continue to operate as normal, with necessary fuel allocations ensured for priority sectors including tourism, health, agriculture, and plantation industries. Priority has also been given to fuel distribution for the transport of essential food items. Further elaborating, Chandrakeerthi reiterated that the decision was taken as a precautionary measure despite the current availability of adequate fuel stocks. Also commenting, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government – Aloka Bandara, stated that, “Public service operations are generally conducted on a 05-day working week, and the mid-week day (Wednesday) has now been declared a holiday for office functions. 02 key factors influenced this decision: reducing energy consumption and prioritizing the use of fuel for essential services, as well as conserving existing fuel stocks for a longer period through prudent management. This is also expected to reduce fuel consumption associated with maintaining office operations and transport. In line with instructions from the Ministry of Education, this day has also been declared a holiday for schools. Public employees will be required to report to duty on the remaining 04 days of the week, while the authority to impose any necessary restrictions has been delegated to ministry secretaries and heads of departments. Services provided by District Secretariats, Divisional Secretariats, and local government institutions are considered essential. Notably, post-disaster resettlement activities, especially following cyclonic conditions, must not be disrupted by this holiday. The Public Administration Circular issued in 2022 regarding the conservation of electricity and fuel within the public service remains in force, and the authority to implement these provisions rests with District Secretariats. All Government events and meetings, except those deemed essential, have been restricted or suspended. As an alternative, instructions have been issued to utilize information technology platforms such as Zoom and Teams for meetings. The Government also expects to use this situation as an opportunity to further promote digitalization within public services and to sustain this trend going forward.”