Rs. 65 b worth Samurdhi distribution from today

The 28% increase in Samurdhi benefits to Samurdhi beneficiaries island wide will be distributed from today, State Minister of Samurdhi, Home Economic Micro Finance, Self-Employment and Business Development Shehan Semasinghe said.

The Government expects to spend Rs. 65 billion in 2022 to provide allowances to Samurdhi beneficiaries, he added.

Accordingly, a family unit that has received an allowance of Rs. 3,500 so far will receive an allowance of Rs. 4,500 while a family unit receiving an allowance of Rs. 2,500 will receive an allowance of Rs. 3,200. An allowance of Rs. 1,900 will be given to a family unit that received an allowance of Rs. 1,500.

The State Minister convening a special media briefing in Anuradhapura yesterday, said following the presentation of the Budget for the year 2022, the Government has taken steps to provide various relief to all those affected by the country’s COVID-19 epidemic and the global pandemic.

Part of the relief measures was mentioned in the 2022 budget, while new concessions were made with the attention of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and the Cabinet.

Accordingly, the Government has taken steps to provide an additional allowance to Samurdhi beneficiaries as well, and to increase the Samurdhi allowance to 1,767,000 Samurdhi recipients island wide by 28%, the State Minister said.

“We had prepared within the budget to provide Rs. 50,000 million for the Samurdhi beneficiaries’ allowance in the overall budget. With this increase the Government will spend an additional Rs. 15,000 million. Accordingly, the Government expects to spend Rs. 65,000 million to provide allowances to Samurdhi beneficiaries as a whole for the year 2022.”

“We believe that with the strengthening of the manufacturing economy of this country, the people of this country will be able to make a greater contribution to the country’s economic process as well as to the national economy, and the Government will be able to help the people of this country cope with the devastating effects of the COVID-19 epidemic and facilitate further development of their economy in the future,” State Minister Semasinghe said.