- Social Security Min. says plan to support poor families by linking to Praja Shakthi once Aswesuma scheme ends
The Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security, and Community Empowerment stated that there is no possibility of extending the timeframes for families receiving benefits under the Aswesuma welfare programme, but assured that a plan is in place to support families in need of help once the existing scheme ends.
Speaking to The Daily Morning, Deputy Minister of Rural Development, Social Security, and Community Empowerment, Wasantha Piyathissa said that the Welfare Benefits Board (WBB) had earlier requested an extension for 400,000 families who were scheduled to leave the programme on 31 December of last year (2024).
“Following discussions with the International Monetary Fund, their eligibility was extended until 31 March of this year. That time has now expired. Another group that was to leave on 31 March 2025 was granted an extension until 31 December 2025,” he said.
He added that with the current circumstances, no further changes can be made to the set timeframes. “When the Aswesuma programme was launched, specific timeframes were set for each category of families. They cannot be pushed any further. The families will have to exit the programme within the given timeframe. However, if there are families still in need of assistance after their benefits end, they will be linked to the Government’s ‘Praja Shakthi’ initiative. Even when Aswesuma ends, there is a plan to look after families suffering from poverty.”
The Aswesuma programme was launched in 2023 under the presidency of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe with the provision of welfare payments beginning on 1 July of that year. Under the scheme, households in the transitional category receive Rs. 2,500, those in the vulnerable category Rs. 5,000, those in the poor category Rs. 7,500, and those in the extremely poor category Rs. 15,000 each month. Payments for some of the said categories were raised after the present Government came to power.