The Welfare Benefit Board has decided to extend the census completion date to April 10,  after considering the requests of District Secretaries and Grama Niladhari Offices.

Today was intended to be the last date for the census to verify the details of the applicants of the 2022 programme to identify eligible individuals and families to receive the payment of welfare benefits under the theme “Leave no one behind”.

The next step in this process is to allow the verification of data by the Selection Committee and it is mandatory that all the remaining household units be censused before 10th of April 2023.

Under the second phase of the “Aththama kiyamu, aththama ayata prathilaba demu” campaign, the census of 27, 58424 applicants’ information has been completed as of today.

A three-wheeler and car collided head-on and caught fire on the Dehiwala flyover earlier tonight (31).

The fire brigade team from Dehiwala had been dispatched to douse the fire.

They said the driver of the three-wheeler was injured and was admitted to the Hospital.

A group of protestors including several social activists have been arrested in Mirihana today (31), reports say.

A tense situation was reported in the area this evening as protestors gathered at the Jubilee Post to mark one year since the Mirihana protests to oust former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Security was beefed in the area as well.