An Extraordinary Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka dated January 28, 2026 (EOG-01-0280) has declared a wide range of services as essential services, ensuring their uninterrupted operation in the public interest.
According to the Gazette, essential services include electricity supply, petroleum and gas distribution, healthcare services in hospitals and related institutions, public transport of people and goods, maintenance of transport infrastructure such as roads, bridges, airports, ports and railways, water supply and drainage, food and essential goods distribution, services performed by district- and divisional-level officers including Grama Niladharis and Samurdhi Development Officers, ambulance services, state banking and insurance services including the Central Bank, local authority services such as waste management and fire services, irrigation, telecommunications and media services, land reclamation and development, as well as agriculture and agricultural insurance services.
