Overview

Named as the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government with effect from November 18, 2024, this Ministry has, since its inception to the present day, been functioning with immense commitment and accountability toward ensuring excellent service delivery for the advancement of all public institutions and public servants. The history of the Ministry spans a distant past of more than nine decades. This Ministry, which previously existed as a department under the Ministry of Finance prior to the year 1931, has undergone various changes under successive governments elected following the Donoughmore Constitutional Reforms in 1931, and today, it continues to perform an outstanding service in public administration.

Serving as the hub of civil administration, the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government works with great dedication based on state policy towards a people-centric public service by providing the necessary guidance for all public servants, formulating the required policies and plans for the public sector, and playing a pivotal role within the government.

One of the primary responsibilities of this Ministry is to formulate administrative provisions and regulations, with special attention to fairness, uniformity, and efficiency, in order to provide a satisfactory public service to the people. Accordingly, this Ministry also prepares and amends the Establishments Code and relevant Public Administration Circulars, while providing observations regarding them whenever necessary. The formulation and interpretation of national-level policies regarding public service affairs and the provision of related guidelines, as well as providing the necessary training to enhance the competency of the staff in the public service, are other unique functions performed by this Ministry. It builds and manages the functionality of the entire public service in a way that enables the delivery of a more effective service.

Institutions that function under the Ministry

Department of Pensions
Registrar General’s Department
All District Secretariats and Divisional Secretariats
Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration
Sri Lanka Institute of Local Governance
National Human Resources Development Council of Sri Lanka
Distance Learning Center Limited
Public Service Pensioners’ Trust Fund
Local Government Services Pension Fund
Local Government Widows’ and Orphans’ Pension Fund
Local Government Widowers’ and Orphans’ Pension Fund
Local Loans and Development Fund

Vision

“An excellent public service to the nation”

Mission

“Ensuring an excellent public service through proper administration, management and reformation of human resource”

Objectives

Formulating effective public policies on recruitment, remuneration, and other conditions of service, in alignment with human resource practices in the public service.
Directing the thoughts, and attitudes of employees currently in the public service toward new dimensions when responding to public needs.
Formulating and implementing a new management structure to enhance the productivity and quality of the public service.
Establishing and sharing a value system (consisting of results-oriented attitudes, accountability, prudent use of resources, impartiality, transparency, etc.)
Identifying the training needs of the public sector and providing the necessary facilities to conduct training programs.
Formulating and implementing pension programmes to address pension-related issues.
Developing a framework for public sector institutional development capable of meeting the development goals and priorities of the government.
Promoting the use of Information and Communication Technology to enhance the effectiveness and quality of service delivery.
Improving the competency of the public service staff.
Developing, improving, and implementing guidelines to simplify systems and re-engineer processes in order to adapt to changing conditions.

Scope

To provide optimal services to service recipients by preventing duplication of work through new information technology strategies, while carrying out full capacity development across all public services, and to ensure a high-quality service for the people while minimizing inequalities existing at the provincial and divisional levels..

Tasks and Functions

Formulation, implementation, follow-up, and evaluation of policies, strategies, programmes, and projects related to the subjects of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government, as well as the departments and statutory institutions under this Ministry, in accordance with the national policies implemented by the Government.
Providing public services falling within the scope of the Ministry in an efficient and people-friendly manner.
Reviewing and simplifying the rules and regulations pertaining to the public service.
Introduction of an arbitration process for resolving disputes in the public service.
Resolving issues in service minutes and amending them.
Introducing a performance management procedure to ensure that departments and their staff achieve the set targets.
Upgrading Divisional Secretariats into multi-service delivery centers using digital technology.
Amending the rules and regulations required for the appointment and promotion of officers in all sectors of the public service within a specific timeframe.
Implementation of merit-based promotions in the public sector.
Administration and personnel management of the following services

Sri Lanka Administrative Service

Sri Lanka Accountants’ Service

Sri Lanka Planning Service

Sri Lanka Engineering Service

Sri Lanka Scientific Service

Sri Lanka Architects’ Service

Sri Lanka Technological Service

Administration of Combined Services
Functions under the Establishments Code
Public Service training
Implementation of the Minutes on Pensions
District and Divisional Administration Activities
Organizing state functions
Strengthening the people-centric services delivered by District and Divisional Secretariats
Activities related to the registration of births, marriages, and deaths
Regulation of activities related to Provincial Councils
Conducting research on every dimension of the administration of Provincial Councils and Local Authorities
Identifying under-resourced sectors/fields within Provincial Councils and Local Government Institutions, and planning and implementing special projects to provide the necessary facilities.
Training Provincial Council members, officials, and employees
Government duties related to local government institutions
Providing loan facilities to local government institutions for the development of public amenities
Training members, officials, and employees of local government institutions
Formulation and implementation of policies regarding labour relations standards, employee administration, employee welfare, and health in compliance with international standards.
Activities related to all other subjects assigned to the departments, statutory institutions, and state corporations functioning under the Ministry
Supervision of departments, statutory institutions, and state corporations under the Ministry

Special Priorities

Reviewing and simplifying all circular provisions, rules, and regulations currently in force in the public sector to expedite public service delivery.
Formulating the necessary legal, policy, and institutional frameworks to transition the public service from the concept of 'public officer' to the concept of 'public service', in order to deliver people-centric public services.
Introducing a new code of ethics required to establish an independent public service.
Establishing the necessary legal provisions to grant immunity to public officers who perform their duties in good faith across all government, semi-government, corporate, and banking sector institutions.
Providing the Widows' and Orphans' Pension to beneficiaries without delay.
Conducting a service review and introducing and updating new Service Minutes as required.
Introduction of an arbitration process for resolving disputes among employees in the public sector.
Preparation and implementation of a long-term human resource plan, including career development, to enhance the productivity and efficiency of the public service.

Basic laws which are to be implemented by the Ministry

Widowers’ and Orphans’ Pension Act (No. 24 of 1983)
Widows’ and Orphans’ Pension Ordinance (No.1 of 1898)
Widowers’ and Orphans’ Pension Scheme Act (Armed Forces) (No. 60 of 1998)
Widows’ and Orphans’ Pension Scheme Act (Armed Forces) (No. 18 of 1970)
Public Service Pensioners’ Trust Fund (No. 40 of 1999)
Public Servants’ Provident Fund Ordinance (No. 18 of 1942)
Minutes on Pensions
School Teachers’ Pension Act (No 44 of 1953)
Provincial Councils Pensions Act (No 17 of 1993)
Local Government Service Law (No. 16 of 1974)
Government and Judicial Services Officers’ Retirement Ordinance (No 11 of 1910)
Army Pensions and Gratuities Code
Air Force Pensions and Gratuities Code
Navy Pensions and Gratuities Code
Compulsory Public Service Act (No. 70 of 1961)
Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration Act (No 09 of 1892)
Government Quarters (Recovery of possession) Act (No 07 of 1969)
Prize Competition Act (No 37 of 1957)
National Human Resources Development Council of Sri Lanka Act (No 18 of 1997)
Transfer of Powers (Divisional Secretaries) Act (No. 58 of 1992)
Holidays Act (No. 29 of 1971)
Headmen (Change of Designation) Ordinance (No. 11 of 1941)
Village Headmen (Change of Designation) Act (No. 06 of 1964)
Grama Sevaka (Change of Designation) Law, No. 5 of 1977
Grama Seva Niladhari (Change of Designation) Act (No. 02 of 1993)
Births and Deaths Registration Act (No. 17 of 1951)
Kandyan Marriage and Divorce Act (No. 44 of 1952)
Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (No. 13 of 1951)
Notaries Ordinance (No. 01 of 1907)
Registration of Documents Ordinance (No. 23 of 1927)
Marriage Registration Ordinance (No. 19 of 1907)
Trusts Ordinance (No. 09 of 1917)
Land (Restrictions on Alienation) Act (No. 38 of 2014)
Stamp Duty Act (No. 12 of 2006)
Increase of Fines Act (No. 12 of 2005)
Revocation of Irrevocable Deeds of Gift on the Ground of Gross Ingratitude Act (No. 05 of 2017)
Powers of Attorney Ordinance (No. 04 of 1902)
Adoption of Children Ordinance (No. 24 of 1941)
Registration of Deaths (Temporary Provisions) (Amendment) Act, No. 16 of 2016
Registration of Deaths (Temporary Provisions) Act (No. 19 of 2010)
Local Authorities Elections Ordinance (Chapter 262)
Provincial Councils Elections Act (No. 02 of 1988)
Sri Lanka Institute of Local Governance Act (No. 31 of 1999)
Municipal Councils Ordinance (Chapter 52)
Pradeshiya Sabhas Act (No. 15 of 1987)
Urban Councils Ordinance (Chapter 255)
Provincial Councils Act (No. 42 of 1987)
Provincial Councils (Payment of Salaries and Allowances) Act (No. 37 of 1988)
Local Loans and Development Fund Ordinance (No. 22 of 1916)
All other legislations relating to the subjects of Departments, Statutory Institutions, and State Corporations under the Ministry, which have not been specifically assigned to any other Minister.

The strategies built up in consistent with the existing legal framework for the achievement of objectives

A far sighted policy and regulatory framework for effective human resource management in the public service.
Reformulation of processes for the enhancement of productivity in public service delivery and administrative reforms for system development.
Competitive procedures for recruitment and selection of employees for public service.
Capacity development and skill adjustment with a focus to the demand.
Decentralized institutional network to make the service delivery closer to citizens.
Application of information and communication technology in order to enhance the quality of public service and transparency in service delivery.
Citizen charter for standardizing a citizen centered public service delivery.

FaLang translation system by Faboba