The Welfare Benefits Board has announced that 450,000 new applications have been received for the Aswesuma welfare benefit program. The data collection process has already begun and is expected to be completed by the end of July. The data will be gathered via a mobile app, focusing on six key parameters: the household’s economic status, education, health, assets, housing condition, and family demographics.
The Welfare Benefits Board also stated that notifications regarding the date and time of the census officer’s visit will be sent via SMS by the respective Divisional Secretariat. However, some families do not possess mobile phones or lack literacy in using them. Therefore, it is advised in the newspaper announcement to stay home on the designated day of the census officer’s visit.
All family members over the age of 18 are required to present their identification cards during the census. Additional documents such as land deeds, vehicle licenses, medical records, electricity bills from the last three months, and bank passbooks should also be prepared for verification. The newspaper notice also mentioned that the summary of the information entered by the census officer must be carefully reviewed and signed.
Despite this, newspaper purchase and readership among poor communities remain at a very low level.
After the census, a committee will conduct the selection process, considering any objections and removing unsuitable candidates.
Following the completion of the second phase of Aswesuma, efforts will be made to update the data of 1.8 million beneficiaries from the first phase, as stated by the Welfare Benefits Board.
Meanwhile, the protest actions by Grama Niladhari officers and Samurdhi development officers continue. Additionally, administrative officers at Divisional Secretariat offices have also withdrawn from duties related to Aswesuma. The United Administrative Officers’ Association demands allowances for their support of this poverty relief program.
