Beneficiaries Increase from 1.4 to – 2.5 Million

 Director General of the Divi Neguma Department, Chandra Wickremasinghe, said that 2.5 million have applied for Samurdhi benefits. Currently there are 1.4 million families receiving aid from the Samurdhi Department. An increase of 1.1 million applications for Samurdhi benefits has raised concerns as to whether the country’s poverty level has risen.

She added that the Department is conducting a technical audit at DS Office level to identify those who deserve Samurdhi benefits. Names of those identified will be displayed at Grama Sewa Niladari Offices, allowing people to object.

Wickremasinghe said that 35% of Samurdhi Beneficiaries do not deserve the aid and that the new technical audit will assist in the identification of such persons.