The Welfare Benefit Fast Track Program — ‘Leave No One Behind’ has received 2.3 million applications to-date, the President’s Media Division said yesterday. 

“The applications are being promptly entered into the system through Welfare Benefit Information Units established in 341 Divisional Secretariats across the country, the statement noted.

The scheme was initiated as per the instructions of President Ranil Wickremesinghe targeting the families or individuals receiving benefits under Samurdhi, Elderly Person, Disabled Person and Kidney Disease Assistance Program. Also, people who are on the waiting list expecting subsidies, as well as people who are affected by the ongoing economic crisis and who are expecting Government welfare benefits will also receive this benefit.

As per the Welfare Benefit Board, 624,714 applications have been entered into the system thus far.

It is expected that the 600,000 families that were downgraded to the low-income category, following the second wave of COVID-19 and the economic crisis, as reported by the United Nations Development Program, are also eligible to apply for the Welfare Benefit Fast Track Program.

This is in addition to the 3.3 million families that are currently receiving welfare benefits or those who are already on the waiting list.

Annually the Government allocates over Rs. 134 billion for welfare projects through the National Budget and the interim Budget also allocated Rs. 610 million to be disbursed among 61,000 households. 

It is estimated that 3.9 million families would apply and be benefitted from this social welfare program, the PMD statement added. 

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