ECONOMYNEXT — Sri Lanka has paid nearly 200 billion rupees in 2023 as relief to people affected by the country’s worst financial crisis in decades, an official said.
Presidential Director General (Community Affairs) Rajith Keerthi Thennakoon said the number of relief beneficiaries as of March 31, 2024, is 1,854,308.
A statement from the president’s office quoted Thennakoon as saying that a sum of 184,098.27 million rupees is deemed necessary for various aids, loans, and allowances under the Samurdhi welfare programme, catering to seniors, disabled individuals, patients with kidney disorders, and other relief needs.
The government’s total expenditure on social welfare initiatives in 2023, inclusive of appeals and outstanding payments, amounted to approximately 189,650.95 million (189.6 billion) rupees, he said.
In February 2024, an allocation of 1,813 million rupees was disbursed to those previously overlooked during the initial relief distribution. An additional disbursement of 13,697.35 million rupees is earmarked following the review of appeals, with funds directed towards impoverished individuals, said Thennakoon.
Counting the sum allocated for Samurdhi loans, the government’s total outlay for social safety measures in 2023 totals 199,608.62 million rupees, he said.
According to Thennakoon, over the past 17 months, the Samurdhi Development Department has disbursed 129.93 billion rupees, with 65.91 billion designated for subsidies benefiting the underprivileged. A further 4.52 billion rupees was allocated for social security payments covering various life events such as births, marriages, deaths, illnesses, and scholarships. Tthe Samurdhi Bank extended loans totalling 59.5 billion rupees during this same period, he said.
“This year, the government has initiated nutritional schemes for schoolchildren, support initiatives for expectant mothers, and distributed 20 kilograms of rice free of charge to impoverished families. On International Women’s Day, measures were enacted to alleviate the financial burden on women by providing loans under the ‘Liya Saviya’ programme, initiated by the President, at a reduced interest rate of 12 percent,” the official said.
The government is committed to eradicating corruption, mismanagement, and bureaucracy, while establishing a foundational social security framework, and plans are also underway to introduce over 30 distinct social security initiatives nationwide, with a focus on transparency and accountability, said Thennakoon.
“In support of the relief efforts, the World Bank has extended a loan of 200 million US dollars, structured for repayment over 30 years, with a grace period of five years. It is noteworthy that by March 31, 2024, the total number of beneficiaries under the relief programme is projected to reach 1,854,308,” he said. (Colombo/Apr09/2024)