Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake today (22) presented the Parliament with a comprehensive disclosure of the Railway Department’s total revenue, expenditure and employee figures over the past five years.
The Minister stated that a total of Rs. 5.6 billion has been allocated for the maintenance activities of the Railway Department this year, while an actual expenditure of Rs. 2.014 billion had been incurred as of June 26, 2026.
Addressing the shortage of employees in the department, Minister Rathnayake revealed that although the total approved cadre of the railway service stands at 20,609, only 14,908 employees were serving as of March 31 this year.
The Minister also tabled details of government expenditure on salaries and wages of railway employees from 2021 to 2025.
Accordingly, expenditure on salaries is as follows:
- 2021 - Rs. 9.5 billion
- 2022 - Rs. 11.08 billion
- 2023 - Rs. 10.851 billion
- 2024 - Rs. 13.118 billion
- 2025 - Rs. 15.119 billion
Minister Rathnayake also presented its total revenue and expenditure figures for the past five years to Parliament.
Accordingly:
- 2021 - Expenditure: Rs. 40.41 billion - Revenue: Rs. 2.6 billion
- 2022 - Expenditure: Rs. 42.53 billion - Revenue: Rs. 10.335 billion
- 2023 - Expenditure: Rs. 39.379 billion - Revenue: Rs. 16.079 billion
- 2024 - Expenditure: Rs. 39.508 billion - Revenue: Rs. 16.468 billion
- 2025 - Expenditure: Rs. 47.176 billion - Revenue: Rs. 17.165 billion
