Date: 2015-12-03 Answered

0196/2015: OFFICERS OF EASTERN PROVINCE ATTACHED TO THE NORTHERN PROVINCIAL COUNCIL: TRANSFERS

196/’15

Hon. Vijitha Herath,— To ask the Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government,—

(a) Is he aware that—

(i) 270 officers who were permanent residents in the Eastern Province were attached to the Northern Provincial Council when the North Eastern Provincial Council which had been once merged was demerged as Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils;

(ii) those officers have undergone much difficulty having had to work in an area away from their permanent residence for about 7 years in this manner;

(iii) the attempts made by these officers on a number of occasions to get transfers to the Eastern Province were unsuccessful; and

(iv) only a few officers have obtained transfers with the assistance of authorities?

(b) Will he inform this House—

(i) whether the reasonable request of the residents of the Eastern Province for working in that Provincial Council will be granted; and

(ii) if so, the actions taken in that regard?

Asked Date

2015-12-03

Asked by

Hon. Vijitha Herath, M.P.

Ministry

Provincial Councils, Local Government and Sports

Legislature

Eighth Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka

Session

First Session

Question History

Answer

(a) (i) No.

One hundred and seventy five (175) officers who are permanently residing in the Eastern Province have been attached to the Northern Provincial Council. It was decided to attach these officers to the Northern Provincial Council at the time of seperation of the "Northern and Eastern Provincial Council" that was functioning as one administrative unit into two seperate Provincial Councils.

Accordingly, the officers who worked at the main office of the Northern and Eastern Provincial Council were attached to the Northern Provincial Council and Eastern Provincial Council seperately on the basis of a raffle system.

(ii) No.

Northern Provincial Council was functioning in the Trincomalee District up to 31.12.2010 and the relevant officers worked in the same district. Thereafter, when the main office of the Northern Provincial Council functioned in the Northern Province with effect from 01.01.2011 some officers came to the Northern Province with their families and resided. Officers who have been permanently residing in the Eastern Province requested transfers to the same district and they were transferred as per the existing vacancies.

(iii) No.

A group of officers attached to the Northern Provincial Council were again released to the Eastern Provincial Council for existing vacancies as per transfer requests. Some officers were transferred and released to the Eastern Province on the basis of mutual transfers. Nine (09) officers were released to the Eastern Province in 2011 in that way.

Thirty nine (39) Officers; two (02) Development Officers, two (02) Technical Officers, ten (10) Management Assistant Officers, fifteen (15) drivers and ten (10) office employees were released to the Eastern Provincial Council by the Northern the Provincial Council on a priority basis in 2015.

(iv) No.

(b) (i) Yes.

(ii) The number of officers remaining as at 01.01.2014 in addition to the officers who were transferred to the Eastern Provincial Council from those who were absorbed to the Northern Provincial Council and permanently residing in the Eastern Province is one hundred and seven (107).

Accordingly, the Hon. Governor of the Eastern Province has granted approval to absorb one hundred and seven (107) officers to the Eastern Province within 2015 - 2018 as per the existing vacancies.

Accordingly, Thirty nine (39) officers have been absorbed to the Eastern Province in 2015.

Designation	Expected absorption to Eastern Province				Total
Designation	2015	2016	2017	2018	Total
Development Officer	02	-	-	-	02
Management Assistant	10	08	07	-	25
Technical Officer	02	08	-	-	10
Driver	15	10	05	-	30
Office Employee Service	10	10	10	10	40
Total	39	36	22	10	107