September 01, Colombo (LNW): A large-scale clean-up campaign has been launched across all government institutions in Sri Lanka, beginning today (01).
The initiative, which runs until September 04, aims to rid public offices of years’ worth of unused, broken, or redundant items that have accumulated over time.
Dubbed “Seiri Week,” the effort forms part of a broader movement to promote order, cleanliness, and better functionality within state institutions. Officials hope the clean-up will foster healthier, safer, and more efficient working environments for public sector employees, ultimately enhancing the quality of service delivery to the public.
The Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government is spearheading the operation, having issued a detailed circular instructing all state bodies to participate fully. The directive has been distributed to the top echelons of the public sector, including Ministry Secretaries, Chief Secretaries of Provinces, Department Heads, District Secretaries, and leadership within public corporations and statutory boards.
Institutions are required to identify items that are either obsolete or no longer in use—such as outdated equipment, broken furniture, unused files, or abandoned materials—and ensure their proper disposal or recycling in accordance with newly issued operational guidelines.
This four-day activity has been aligned with the “Clean Sri Lanka” national programme, a state-led push towards better environmental management, institutional discipline, and workplace hygiene.
It is also seen as a practical response to long-standing criticism of clutter and inefficiency in government offices, where storerooms, corridors, and even active workspaces have often become storage areas for long-forgotten materials.
