In a move to provide financial relief to the underprivileged, Sri Lanka's State Minister of Finance, Shehan Semasinghe, announced that wards of the state and student Buddhist monks will receive a monthly allowance of 2,000 rupees, effective from January 2024.
This initiative, part of the government's commitment to social welfare, aims to support approximately 16,146 individuals who have benefited from the Samurdhi program.
Minister Semasinghe stated, "The government will pay a monthly welfare allowance of Rs 2000 through the district secretaries from January 2024 to approximately 16,146 institutionalized persons who have benefited under the Samurdhi program. This will include clergy in piriven, children’s homes, elderly homes, and disabled persons in caregiving homes."
The decision to extend financial assistance to these vulnerable groups comes against the backdrop of a significant increase in poverty levels in Sri Lanka. According to a survey conducted by LIRNEasia last year, the number of people classified as poor surged from 4 million in 2019 to 7 million in 2023, constituting 31 percent of the population.
