Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation introduces voluntary retirement scheme amid financial challenges

The Sri Lankan Television Corporation, which has been a state-owned company for 42 years since 1982, is facing financial challenges and has introduced a voluntary retirement scheme for its employees. According to the announcement made by the Director General, Asanga Jayalath, employees who have worked for 10 years or more and those who have served for less than 10 years are eligible to apply for the scheme. The compensation for those who choose to resign voluntarily ranges from a minimum of Rs. 250,000 to a maximum of Rs. 2.5 million, depending on their grade and length of service. The scheme is applicable for employees under the age of 50, and the optional pension age is counted as 55 years old in the compensation calculation.

A union representative of the Sri Lankan Television Corporation has expressed concern that the introduction of the retirement scheme is the first step towards selling the national television corporation. The representative believes that the government is planning to close down state institutions that are causing losses and sell them to investors. The union argues that instead of offering a voluntary retirement scheme, the government should invest in the corporation to make it more profitable. Despite the efforts of the employees and the union to demonstrate the profitability of the institution, the government has not shown interest in preserving it. This move has raised concerns among employees and the union regarding the future of the corporation.