In response to the prevailing economic challenges, State Minister of Finance, Shehan Semasinghe, has announced plans to enhance the reach of the "Aswesuma" welfare benefit program to encompass 2.4 million families.
The declaration was made during a discussion with representatives from state banks, where future strategies for the effective continuation of the welfare program were deliberated.
Semasinghe highlighted that the proposal for this expansion will be presented to the Cabinet of Ministers in accordance with the directives of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Initially designed to cater to 2 million families, the "Aswesuma" welfare program currently supports 1.4 million families.
During the meeting, Semasinghe informed that over 60% of the more than 1.1 million appeals and objections related to the program have been addressed to date. He assured that all relevant activities concerning these appeals and objections would be concluded by January 31, 2024.
Besides, the State Minister of Finance announced plans to initiate new applications for the "Aswesuma" program by the end of January or the first week of February. This move aims to include an additional 400,000 recipients in the welfare benefits program, contributing to the government's efforts to provide essential support to a larger segment of the population.
