Sri Lanka, Jan. 20 -- The Cabinet of Ministers approved a plan to distribute a Rs. 200 daily attendance allowance to estate workers, starting retroactively from January 1, 2026.

This payment will be managed through plantation companies for the first six months, after which the allowance will be credited directly to the workers' personal bank accounts.

The Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure developed this phased transition after consulting relevant stakeholders.

This financial support aligns with the 2026 budget proposals aimed at ensuring fair compensation, which included raising the minimum daily wage to Rs. 1,550.

The government allocated Rs. 5 billion to fund this specific attendance incentive.

The joint proposal...