News
Wrong officials and criteria used to select those eligible for Aswesuma, says Sajith
Opposition and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament that the poor and elderly helplessly fall to their death in queues to get their membership of the Aswesuma government welfare scheme that had gone awry because the government overlooked obtaining five main public sector officials in each Grama Niladhari Division.
Making a special statement to the House on Tuesday, Premadasa said that the government put in place for implementation a group of persons who have no experience in rural poverty overlooking the input from Grama Niladhari, Samurdhi Development Officer, Agriculture Research Officer, Economic Development Officer and Family Health officer.
He said that Aswesuma could be a programme for the betterment of the poor, but its implementation is a complete failure. Selection of eligible families should be made at grassroots level, taking each Grama Niladhari division as a unit. The Aswesuma is being put into practice without conducting a proper research which should have included the input of Grama Niladhari, Samurdhi Development Officer, Agriculture Research Officer, Economic Development Officer and Family Health officer. How could such a programme be successful at implementation? This has thrown the poor into the fire from the frying pan. The beneficiaries have not been selected scientifically. It could have been scientifically correct to select them on account of their monthly electricity consumption. The way adopted by the government is beyond the reason and as per that method, many among the seven million poor are likely to be overlooked, he said.
He asked the government to explain to this House the method it is planning to implement a national welfare scheme of the nature of the Aswesuma programme without data. There is scientifically acknowledged data by many think tanks, including a report from the LIRNEasia that identifies that only 1.1 million out of two million people living below the poverty line, have been identified to be entitled for the Aswesuma welfare scheme.
In terms of the provisions of the Establishments Code on payment of festival advance to government officers, there’s a possibility of obtaining rupees 10,000/- as an advance for celebrating festivals of Theipongal, Ramazan, Sinhala and Hindu New Year, Wesak, Deepavali, and Christmas as well as for pilgrimages (Sri Paada pilgrimage and Hajj pilgrimage).
Provisions have been given to recover the said advance in 08 installments or if required earlier without interest. It has been proposed by the Budget 2026 to increase the said festival advance up to rupees 15,000/-.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local governments to revise the relevant provisions so that the festival advance can be increased up to rupees 15,000/- .
As per the approval given by the cabinet meeting held on 02-06-2025, action is being taken at present to offer the underutilized lands/properties of the Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation, the Janatha Etate Development Board, and the Elkaduwa Plantation Company which are under the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure which have been identified under stage one to suitable investors.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Plantations and Community Infrastructure to provide following lands/properties on a lease basis to the suitable investors for optimal utilization following the prescribed procurement procedure.
• underutilized lands/properties identified under stage two owned by the Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation, the Janatha Estate Development Board, and the Elkaduwa Plantation
Company,
• The Mawarala watte land and the Tea factory 40.48 hectares in extent, located in Matara District belonging to the Tea Shakthi Fund.
• The underutilized land of 1,541 hectares in extent of Kondachchi Estate is enjoyed by the Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation.
The drafting of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy has commenced with the objective of equitable distribution of the benefits of the fisheries industry and the sustainable management of fisheries and aquaculture. This policy has been updated from time to time according to current requirements. However, steps have not been taken to obtain the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers for that purpose.
According to the policy declaration of the present government, ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendor’ the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy has been redrafted, updating the aforementioned policy in line with the economic and development objectives of the government.
The recommendations of the Department of National Planning have been received for the drafted policy.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Marine
Resources to implement the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, integrating it with other relevant policies.
Trump to meet Venezuelan opposition leader Machado at the White House
Festival advance for government officers to be increased
Providing underutilized lands/properties to suitable investors for optimal utilization.
Implementation of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy
Expressions of Interest called to develop selected locations within the Pelawatte Sugar Factory premises
Minimum purchasing price of Samba and Kiri Samba paddy increased
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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