by PublicFinance.lk, June 2, 2023
According to the 2023 Budget Estimates, 15% of total recurrent expenditure of the government will be spent on salaries for government employees for the year 2023.
As of 2023, the defence sector is estimated to claim nearly half (48%) of state salaries. Here is a breakdown of the estimated sector-wise allocation of state salaries for the year 2023.
Please see the table below to find the detailed composition of ministries in each sector and their estimated state salary cost as a percentage of total cost.
| Sector | Ministry | % of total estimated State Salary cost |
| Welfare & Community Services | Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs | 0.50% |
| Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment | 3.17% | |
| Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs | 0.17% | |
| Transport & Communication | Ministry of Mass Media | 2.40% |
| Ministry of Transport and Highways | 1.77% | |
| Other Central Government | Ministry of Foreign Affairs | 1.64% |
| Special Spending Units | 0.99% | |
| Local and Provincial Government | Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government | 6.09% |
| Justice | Ministry of Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms | 2.11% |
| Health | Ministry of Health | 16.81% |
| Finance | Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies | 1.41% |
| Education | Ministry of Education | 8.45% |
| Defence | Ministry of Public Security | 11.88% |
| Ministry of Defence | 36.75% | |
| Agriculture | Ministry of Agriculture | 2.40% |
| Ministry of Plantation Industries | 0.25% | |
| Power and Energy | Ministry of Power & Energy | 0.03% |
| Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Aviation | 0.02% | |
| Tourism | Ministry of Tourism and Lands | 0.90% |
| Industry | Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Food Security | 0.09% |
| Ministry of Industries | 0.12% | |
| Ministry of Fisheries | 0.11% | |
| Ministry of Technology | 0.01% | |
| Water and Sanitation Sector | Ministry of Water Supply | 0.06% |
| Ministry of Irrigation | 0.55% | |
| Urban Development | Ministry of Urban Development and Housing | 0.25% |
| Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation | 0.49% | |
| Ministry of Investment Promotion | 0.03% | |
| Ministry of Environment | 0.07% | |
| Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment | 0.49% |
Defence other includes the personal emoluments of the Ministry of Defence (excluding tri-forces) and the Ministry of public security. As per the 2023 budget estimates, personal emoluments consist of : salaries and wages, Overtime and Holiday payments, and other allowances.