A special discussion was held today (2024.01.08) at Temple Trees regarding the implementation and recovery of Aswasuma Welfare Benefit Scheme.
It was decided to resolve all appeals for the year 2023 by January 31st 2024, to call for new appeals for the second round by the first week of February 2024, to create a special appeals unit for each divisional secretariat and to appoint an officer for it at the village level.
The Prime Minister who spoke at the meeting said:
“A large number of people had doubts and fears that they would not get Aswesuma benefits. Everyone, including the district governors, implemented the resolution well, despite many problems. All the concerned officers including the district coordination committee chairpersons and village officials supported it. There were technical flaws. The Board of Directors worked to clarify them.
The Aswesuma appeals program allows for several opportunities for future appeals. District governors and divisional secretaries resolve the problems arising during the appeal hearings. The technical problem came from the beginning. The capacity is not enough. Now there is a proper plan for the relief program. There are specific steps.
In the two months of October and November, the village officials finished preparing all the voter registers. According to the constitution, there is a date on which the voting lists must be announced, so the village officials took steps to finish all the work on the voter registers accordingly. The relief program also needs such support. So far, the government’s poverty alleviation program has made great progress.
Minister of State for Finance Shehan Semasinghe, Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake, Senior Adviser to the President on National Security and Chief of Staff to the President, Sagala Ratnayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration Pradeep Yasaratne, Chairman of the Security Welfare Benefit Board Jayantha Wijeratne, District Secretaries, Divisional Secretaries, officers of the Samrudhi Development Department , attended the meeting.
Prime Minister’s Media