President Ranil Wickremesinghe has given directions for the initiation of “Aswesuma” welfare benefit payments, which are scheduled to commence from July 1st.

The necessary gazette has been published in accordance with the authorities delegated to President Ranil Wickremesinghe as Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policy.

Accordingly, these payments will be distributed among four social categories, namely transitional, vulnerable, poor, and extremely poor. Additionally, the usual allowances for the differently-abled, elderly, and kidney patients will also be provided Accordingly, 400,000 transitional beneficiaries will receive Rs.2,500.00 per month until December 31, 2023, 400,000 vulnerable beneficiaries will receive Rs.5,000.00 per month until March 31, 2024, 800,000 poor beneficiaries will receive Rs.8,500.00 per month, and extremely poor beneficiaries will receive Rs.15,000.00 per month for three years beginning July 1, 2023.Currently, 72,000 differently abled people getting welfare benefits will each receive Rs.5000.00 per month, 39,150 people receiving kidney support will each receive Rs.5000.00, and 416,667 people receiving senior assistance would each receive Rs.2000.00.

Around 3,712,096 applications for welfare benefits have been received from 340 Divisional Secretariats across the island, with 91.5% of the process of verifying program information to identify those who are eligible for payment of these welfare benefits completed as of yesterday (08).The data has been monitored through selection committees consisting of three members at the regional office level, and the process of approval by the district secretary has also started.

The highest number of applications that have been confirmed and finalized are from Vavuniya district, which is 98% followed by 96.5% from Kandy district, 96% from Kilinochchi district, 96% from Jaffna district and 95.5% from Trincomalee district respectively, 3,362,040 applications covering the entire island have been verified so far.