Friday Sep 20, 2024
Friday Sep 20, 2024
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State Finance Minister
Shehan Semasinghe
State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe yesterday revealed that arrangements will be made to start accepting new applications for ‘Aswesuma’ Social Welfare Benefit Program for the year 2024 soon after appeals and objections that have been submitted are reviewed.
In light of this, the Minister stated that by strengthening the shortcomings of the relief program thus far, he hopes to accept new applications for next year.
The Minister also mentioned that preliminary work is being done on the appeals and objections received by the Divisional Secretaries.
He expressed these views yesterday during a press conference themed ‘Collective Path to a Stable Country’ held at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC).
State Minister also said that 1,280,000 families who are receiving Samurdhi benefits have applied for ‘Aswesuma’, out of which 887,653 families have qualified. It was decided to extend the Samurdhi allowance to 393,094 families who are not qualified for ‘Aswesuma’ from among the families currently receiving the Samurdhi subsidy until the appeals and objection process is concluded. The appeals and objections that have been submitted will be reviewed and arrangements will be made to start accepting new applications as soon as it is completed.
As per him, a total of 1,792,265 beneficiaries have been selected for the initial step of ‘Aswesuma’ program by the Welfare Benefits Board.
Noting that relief is to be provided for two million families, he said after consideration of appeals and objections it will be possible to reach the target.
In addition, he assured for the elderly, kidney patients and differently-abled people receiving assistance, will be paid without a change. Accordingly, arrangements will be made to provide elderly allowances through Post Offices, whilst kidney patients and differently-abled individuals’ allowances will be provided via Divisional Secretariats.
The 11,660 people in elderly and children’s homes, differently-abled centres and religious places will receive allowances without a change until a new policy is formulated.
Meanwhile, the Welfare Benefits Board has received the details of 1 million accounts for the payment and the government requests the eligible people to open accounts as soon as possible to receive the benefits.
State Minister Semasinghe reiterated that ‘Aswesuma’ is not an initiative to undermine the Samurdhi Movement or the Samurdhi Banks.
He also said the Government has decided to regulate the Samurdhi banking system as a microfinance banking system of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) to provide the “Aswesuma” welfare benefit for the people.
