The government has launched an inquiry into complaints from Samurdhi beneficiaries who report being unjustly excluded from the Aswesuma welfare benefits program, despite meeting the eligibility requirements. The Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, National Integration, Social Security, and Media confirmed that a significant number of previously eligible Samurdhi recipients have reportedly been excluded from the program, raising concerns about the fairness of the selection process.
In response to these allegations, Minister Vijitha Herath has instructed the Ministry Secretary, Mr. Ranjith Ariyaratne, to establish a special committee. Comprised of ten members, the committee has been tasked with a comprehensive investigation into the selection criteria and will focus on identifying gaps and recommending corrective measures.
According to official sources, the committee’s mandate includes:
1. Establishing a framework to identify Samurdhi beneficiaries who should rightfully be included in the Aswesuma program but were omitted due to procedural discrepancies.
2. Analyzing the reasons behind the exclusion of eligible individuals to understand the structural issues within the selection process.
3. Recommending criteria for selecting beneficiaries to ensure that all eligible individuals are accurately included in the Aswesuma program.
This inquiry follows reports from district and divisional secretaries, who flagged irregularities in the current beneficiary selection process. The findings of the investigation are expected to shed light on these challenges and provide a pathway for addressing them.
The Ministry has set a deadline for the report, requesting that findings and recommendations be submitted by December 15, 2024, to guide further improvements to the Aswesuma program and safeguard the rights of all eligible recipients.
Given below is a link to a study report on the Aswesuma programme:
https://www.right2lifelanka.org/aswesumarelief-or-deception/
