MONETABRIEF - Sri Lankas 2027 Budget proposes increases in allowances for public servants, students, security forces and judicial officers, with many of the revisions scheduled to take effect from April or July 2027.

The Government has allocated 34.8 billion rupees for higher allowances for tri-forces personnel, police and prison officers, while 7.1 billion rupees has been set aside for increased payments to persons with disabilities and kidney patients.

A further 1.5 billion rupees has been allocated for allowance increases for judges and judicial staff.

Education and Student Allowances

The monthly allowance for trainee teachers at Colleges of Education is proposed to rise from 10,500 rupees to 20,000 rupees from April 2027.

The daily allowance for student monks at Pirivenas will increase from 15 rupees to 50 rupees, while the allowance for lay students will rise from 5 rupees to 25 rupees. Both increases will take effect from April 2027.

The annual allowance for voluntary Dhamma School teachers will increase from 7,500 rupees to 12,500 rupees. The monthly subsistence allowance for students receiving interest-free higher education loans will also rise from 6,250 rupees to 10,000 rupees.

The monthly academic allowance for university lecturers is proposed to increase by 25,000 rupees, with half of the increase to be paid from July 2027 and the balance from July 2028.

Payments to visiting lecturers will also increase, including a rise in the hourly rate from 1,500 rupees to 4,500 rupees.

Health and social protection

The monthly allowance for kidney patients and persons with disabilities will each increase by 2,500 rupees, from 10,000 rupees to 12,500 rupees.

The DAT allowance for medical officers is proposed to rise from 70,000 rupees to 95,000 rupees. The special-duty allowance for nursing officers and paramedical staff will double from 6,000 rupees to 12,000 rupees, while the allowance for other health-sector staff will increase from 2,000 rupees to 4,000 rupees.

Half of the proposed health-sector increases will be paid from July 2027, with the remainder scheduled for 2028.

Security forces, police and prisons

The daily ration allowance for armed forces personnel will increase from 1,161.56 rupees to 1,476.37 rupees for commissioned officers and from 967.53 rupees to 1,299.70 rupees for other ranks, effective from July 2027.

The monthly food and lodging allowance for police personnel will increase by 10,000 rupees. The revised rates will range from 38,800 rupees to 44,800 rupees, depending on rank.

The monthly risk allowance for prison officers will double from 8,000 rupees to 16,000 rupees, while the allowance for prison department civil officers will rise from 2,250 rupees to 10,000 rupees.

Field and public-service officers

The monthly travel allowance for Grama Niladharis will rise from 1,600 rupees to 4,000 rupees, while their office-rent allowance will increase to 6,000 rupees in urban areas and 4,000 rupees in Pradeshiya Sabha areas.

Travel allowances for development officers, Samurdhi officers, and agricultural research and production assistants will also increase, alongside higher office-rent allowances. These revisions will take effect from April 2027.

Executive officers who use their own vehicles for official duties will see their monthly transport allowance increase from 50,000 rupees to 100,000 rupees. Officers using fully electric private vehicles will receive a further increase under a separate scheme from July 2027.

Judicial and Legal Sectors

The monthly professional allowance for High Court judges and other judicial officers will increase by 25,000 rupees. Half of the increase will be paid from July 2027 and the balance in 2028.

Transport allowances for eligible judicial officers will increase by 50,000 rupees, while driver allowances will rise from 25,000 rupees to 50,000 rupees. Housing allowances for judges will also double.

In the Attorney-General’s Department, the monthly non-practising allowance for the Attorney-General, Solicitor-General and senior legal officers will increase by 25,000 rupees.

Allowance for senior state counsels, state counsels and corresponding officers will rise by 20,000 rupees. The increases will be paid in two stages, beginning in July 2027.

The special allowance for the Legal Draftsman, Additional Legal Draftsman and Deputy Legal Draftsman will increase by 25,000 rupees, while the allowance for senior assistant and assistant legal draftsmen will rise by 20,000 rupees.

Commissions, State Enterprises and Pensioners

Monthly allowances for chairpersons of independent commissions will increase from 135,000 rupees to 200,000 rupees, while allowances for other members will rise from 90,000 rupees to 140,000 rupees, effective from July 2027.

Allowances for chairpersons, executive directors and working directors of state-owned enterprises will also be revised according to the category of each institution.

Pensioners who retired between 2020 and 2024 will receive a temporary monthly allowance of 2,500 rupees from 1 July 2027, pending the implementation of a new pension revision programme.

The interim payment will end once the revised pensions are introduced. (Colombo/Nov12/2026)