Muizzu Sets Target to Secure 500 Jobs for People with Disabilities

President Mohamed Muizzu announced on Monday that his administration is actively pursuing a target to create 500 employment opportunities across government ministries and state-owned enterprises for persons with disabilities.

Responding to inquiries regarding whether ongoing workforce reductions in state companies affected disabled employees, Muizzu explicitly denied that downsizing policies target individuals with special needs. The question followed an April directive from the Finance Ministry instructing state entities to trim their workforces by 33 percent as part of broader fiscal consolidation measures.

“It is not government policy to terminate the employment of any person with a disability through company rightsizing or any other method,” Muizzu said during a press conference at the President’s Office. He added that if any such terminations had occurred, they were errors that would be promptly rectified.

Instead of shedding disabled staff, Muizzu emphasized that the administration is focused on expanding their economic participation. Public institutions and state enterprise executives are currently working to meet the 500-job threshold to ensure sustainable livelihoods and financial independence for people living with disabilities.

The push builds on recent initiatives by major utilities, including state power provider STELCO, which recently recruited 30 disabled workers into its workforce as part of broader inclusion efforts within state infrastructure.

The administration’s target comes alongside broader efforts to manage public sector expenditure, as outlined in recent budgetary developments:

• HR Audit Planned for 2027: Finance Minister Hassan Zameer announced plans for a comprehensive HR audit across state institutions next year, conducted jointly by the Finance Ministry and the Pay Commission, to assess staffing needs and reallocate or transfer surplus personnel.

• Freeze on New Positions: President Muizzu has directed that no new positions be created in 2027, restricting recruitment exclusively to essential roles as part of broader expenditure reduction measures.

• Rising Public Sector Payroll: The proposed budget for 2027 stands at MVR 59.7 billion, with state employee salaries (MVR 7.91B) and allowances (MVR 6.51B) totaling MVR 14.4 billion—an increase of MVR 492.8 million compared to 2026.

• High Public Employment Base: According to official data, the Civil Service employs over 30,127 people, while state-owned enterprises (SOEs) account for more than 41,000 employees.

• Ongoing Downsizing Directives: Despite initial commitments to cap political appointees at 700, political numbers have expanded, prompting a Finance Ministry directive issued in April to trim SOE workforces by 33 percent.