New ‘Aswesuma’ applications to be called during Feb. first week

New applications for the ‘Aswesuma’ welfare benefits program will be called during the first week of February 2024, Acting Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe said on Friday (Jan.19).

Meanwhile, 300,000 more families have qualified to receive ‘Aswesuma’ welfare benefits, after reviewing 640,000 appeals and objections.

As such, the total number of beneficiaries now stands over 1.7 million. The government aims to extend these benefits to a total of 2 million people.

    

Payments from July to December are likely to be transferred to the bank accounts of the newly selected families in the near future.

A total of 5,209 selected beneficiary families have become ineligible and another 2,567 families have moved down from their beneficiary category after reviewing appeals and objections. Another 50,882 families have moved up in their beneficiary category.

A total of 5,209 families that were receiving the welfare benefits thus far have been disqualified as a result of the considered appeals and objections while the welfare benefit level of 2,567 other families was downgraded.

The Welfare Benefits Board has thus far received more than 1.1 million appeals and objections in total, and the consideration of all these appeals and objections is expected to be completed as soon as possible