News

‘Aswesuma is not the success it is made out to look by some officials and politicians’

Published

2 years ago

2024/03/9

By Saman Indrajith

Despite claims that 1.9 million families benefit from the Aswesuma welfare scheme, there is only resentment among the poor at the manner in which the scheme is implemented, General Secretary of the All Ceylon Samurdhi Development, Agricultural Research and Production Assistants Union, and SLPP MP, Jagath Kumara Sumithraarachchi, says,

Sumithraarchchi said officials from the Welfare Benefits Board and certain politicians claimed that the scheme was a great success, but the statistics presented by them were erroneous.

The second round of applications for Aswesuma was open until 15 March, however the number of applications is low, he said.

“Only about 40,000 applications were submitted by 01 March when the government could accommodate 500,000 more families. 180 billion rupees has been allocated for Aswesuma from the 2024 Budget and that at the height of the Samurdhi scheme only about 60 billion rupees were allocated. State Minister for Finance Shehan Semasinghe said 7,000 people have obtained Aswesuma through providing false information and that the government plans to take legal action. A lot of funds have been allocated but at the ground level, there is only confusion,” Sumithraarachchi said.

There were about 1.6 million Samurdhi beneficiaries and about 800,000 people now do not receive any benefits, he said. Poverty has increased in the country and international agencies say about six million people are vulnerable.

“Things have only got worse. So, how can they kick half of Samurdhi beneficiaries out?” he asked.

Sumithraarachchi said most government officials are hesitant to be involved in the Aswesuma scheme.

Welfare Benefits Act (No. 24 of 2002) guides Sri Lanka’s welfare process, he said. Section 20 of the Act states Any person who furnishes a false or incorrect declaration or information shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction after summary trial before a magistrate be liable to a fine not exceeding five thousand rupees or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to both such fine and imprisonment.

The government must educate the people about the above mentioned section and punish people who provide false information, Sumithraarachchi said.

Section 21 of the Act states “Any public officer who in the exercise, performance or discharge of his powers, duties or functions under this Act, knowingly and willingly, acts on any information which is false or incorrect, shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction after summary trial before a magistrate be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand rupees or to imprisonment to a term not exceeding one year or to both such fine and imprisonment.” A lot of officials are worried about getting into trouble because of this section. We know some people will lie to get benefits. How do officials find out if a person is not telling the truth?” he questioned.

Sumithraarachchi said he told senior government ministers that government field officials must be made exempt from this rule for at least the first year. This will allow the government to obtain full cooperation of field officials and help better identify those who deserve assistance.

The MP added that previous welfare schemes like Janasaviya and Samurdhi were attempts at poverty eradication by promoting self-employment among the poor. However, there is no poverty eradication aspect of Aswesuma, he said.

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Sun directly overhead Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon today (30)

Published

9 hours ago

2026/08/30

Priyan

The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.

The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (30) are Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and
Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon.

News

Lanka tracks 11 US-sanctioned Iranian tankers off coast

Published

11 hours ago

2026/08/30

Thilina Walpola

(AFP) Sri Lanka’s maritime authorities were monitoring a fleet of 11 US-sanctioned Iranian oil tankers just off the island’s southern coast, the foreign minister said Wednesday.

The tankers were spotted close to the Galle harbour where an Iranian frigate, IRIS Dena, was sunk by a US submarine in March, killing 104 sailors. Sri Lanka’s navy rescued 32 Iranian sailors from that frigate.

Iranian vessels have been in limbo, unable to return to their home port because of a US blockade.

Sri Lanka’s Foreign minister Vijitha Herath said the tankers were in international waters where they had freedom of navigation.

“These ships are away from our territorial waters… we have no hold on them, nor have we facilitated them,” Herath told AFP.

The military deployed reconnaissance aircraft and patrol boats to monitor the vessels outside Sri Lanka’s 12-nautical-mile territorial waters, a military official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“There is no indication of any ship-to-ship transfer of oil or illegal discharge of pollutants, so there is no basis for Sri Lankan authorities to take action against them,” the official said.

Many Iranian merchant vessels moved east towards the Strait of Malacca and Singapore due to US sanctions, while several remained near Sri Lankan waters, authorities said.

Sri Lankan officials said Washington had not formally notified Colombo about sanctioned Iranian-flagged vessels

News

House to debate abolition of Chief of Defence Staff post

Published

11 hours ago

2026/08/30

Thilina Walpola

Parliament is to debate next Wednesday the Government’s proposal to abolish the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), with the Second Reading of the Chief of Defence Staff (Repeal) Bill scheduled for September 9.

The Bill seeks to repeal the Chief of Defence Staff Act No. 35 of 2009, which was introduced shortly after the end of the armed conflict.

According to Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera, Parliament will meet from September 8 to 11, with the business for the week approved by the Committee on Parliamentary Business chaired by Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne.

The debate on the Chief of Defence Staff (Repeal) Bill is scheduled to take place from 11.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, following questions to the Prime Minister and other parliamentary business.

The CDS post was established under the 2009 Act as part of the country’s higher defence command structure.

On Tuesday, September 8, the House will consider two Orders published in Extraordinary Gazettes under the Motor Traffic Act from 11.30 a.m. to 5 p.m., followed by an Opposition motion at the adjournment.

On Thursday, September 10, Parliament will debate a Resolution under the Women’s Empowerment Act.

The final sitting day of the week, Friday, September 11, has been allocated from 11.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. for several Private Members’ Motions.

The motions will cover issues including regulation of the petroleum, fuel and water industries, measures to increase the birth rate, protection of the Diyagama Forest, pension deductions affecting Pirivena teachers, food-crop cultivation in mountainous areas, development of the Kithul industry and the establishment of a Faculty of Medicine at South Eastern University.

Questions at the adjournment will be taken up at the end of each sitting day.