‘Aswesuma’ relief will be provided to all eligible recipients immediately – President
35,920 new applications received upto yesterday:
Officials’ assistance needed to distribute “Aswesuma”, “Urumaya” :
President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasised that the “Aswesuma” and “Urumaya” programmes play a significant role in sustaining the livelihoods of people in a country facing economic challenges. He assured that immediate relief would be provided to all those entitled to it. The President emphasised the significance of government officials’ support in promptly delivering the “Aswesuma” and “Urumaya” programmes to the people.
President Wickremesinghe made this statement during a meeting discussing the implementation of the “Aswesuma” programme at the Matale, Wilgamuwa Divisional Secretariat yesterday morning (29).
The Wilgamuwa Grama Niladhari Association declared unconditional support for the government’s programme in presence of the President. Applications for the second phase of Aswesuma commenced on February 15, and as of yesterday (29), a total of 35,920 new applications have been received. Of these, 14,537 applications were submitted through the Divisional Secretary, while 21,383 applications were submitted via the online system.
The highest number of applications for the second phase of “Aswesuma” has been received from Nuwara Eliya district, totalling 4,892. Following closely behind, Kandy district has submitted 4,708 applications, while Ratnapura district has submitted 2,971 applications.
A total of 2,243 applications have been received from Ampara district, with Colombo district following closely behind with 2,099 applications. Meanwhile, Moneragala district has submitted 2,017 applications and Gampaha district has provided 1,887 applications.
Additionally, Kurunegala district has contributed 1,633 applications, with Puttalam district closely matching with 1,632 applications. The Polonnaruwa district has submitted 1,408 applications in total.
From Batticaloa district, a total of 1,405 applications have been received, while Badulla district has submitted 1,289 applications and Kalutara district has forwarded 1,166 applications. The number of applications received from Galle district is 981, with Hambantota district closely following with 954 applications. Anuradhapura district has 782 applications and Trincomalee district has submitted 687 applications. Moreover, 570 new applications have been received from Kegalle district, with Jaffna district following closely behind with 525 applications. Additionally, 472 applications have been received from Matara district, while 451 applications have been received from Kilinochchichi district. Meanwhile, Matale district has submitted 421 applications, and Vavunia district has submitted 389 applications in total.
In addition, 183 new applications have been received from Mullaitivu district, while 155 new applications have been received from Mannar district.
In the initial phase, nearly 2 million people are already benefiting from the programme, and the objective is to extend relief to 2.4 million individuals, including new applicants with the second phase.
This visit marks the first time a President has visited the Wilgamuwa Regional Secretariat. President Ranil Wickremesinghe visited the Corporate Division, Accounting and Finance Division, observing their activities.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe also recorded his visit in the logbook of the Divisional Secretariat.
Then President Ranil Wickremesinghe participated in a discussion with all the Divisional Secretaries of the Matale District in the main auditorium of the Divisional Secretariat, where he examined the operations of the “Aswesuma” programme and addressed the issues that have arisen in the district.
Following this, the President engaged in a discussion with the beneficiaries and provided positive responses to many of the problems they raised.
The President had a cordial discussion with the Grama Niladhari officers from the Wilgamuwa Divisional Secretariat, where they discussed their professional challenges. He also expressed appreciation for their support for the “Aswesuma” and Urumaya programmes.
President Wickremesinghe provided additional remarks, stating: “We have been diligently working on implementing the provision of insurance benefits since last year. My visit to Wilgamuwa today aims to assess the effectiveness of this programme.
Assuming the Presidency amidst a severe economic downturn and bankruptcy, I recognised the urgency of addressing the country’s financial crisis. Unfortunately, during that period, no leader stepped forward to navigate the nation through these dire economic challenges. Consequently, many individuals lost their jobs and faced significant livelihood struggles.
Hence, I assumed the responsibility of ensuring the survival of our nation’s people. Consequently, we embarked on economic revitalization efforts to bolster our country’s financial stability. To safeguard the fundamental right to livelihood, we established the “Aswesuma” programme, providing financial aid to those in need. Through “Aswasuma,” we have tripled the assistance provided to the population compared to the Samurdhi programme.
“Our objective is to meticulously identify all deserving beneficiaries and promptly provide them with the necessary aid. By addressing challenges through open dialogue and proactive measures, we aim to ensure the success and efficacy of this programme.
Initially, there were approximately 1.6 million Samurdhi beneficiaries in our country. However, we aim to expand the number of “Aswesuma” beneficiaries to 2.4 million.
Additionally, the government has endeavoured to raise the salaries of public servants. Beginning April, they will receive an additional Rs.10,000. During my tenure as Prime Minister in 2015, I spearheaded efforts to augment the salaries of public servants by Rs.10,000. While another salary increment was initially scheduled for ten years later, economic constraints prompted us to implement it in 2024.
“We have also executed the Urumaya programme, which grants freehold land to all those who have received land licenses under the Land Development Act since 1935. This initiative resolves the longstanding issue faced by people by affirming their legal right to the land.
Under the Urumaya programme, two million free land deeds are being distributed, with one million deeds planned to be issued by the end of this year. Through these programmes, our goal is to establish a secure economic foundation for the people.
The successful execution of the Aswasuma and Urumaya programmes largely relies on the efforts of Divisional Secretariats. It is imperative that we remain committed to creating a brighter future for our people through these initiatives.
This programme holds the potential to revolutionize the country’s economy. Currently, we are witnessing significant growth in the nation’s wealth, indicating a positive trajectory. Consequently, we are optimistic about implementing strategies to bolster income streams within this province. Particularly, we envision the development of this province as a prominent tourist destination.
Moreover, plans are underway to modernize agricultural practices and expand the spice industry for export. We are also looking into establishing new plantations for cocoa and coffee with the involvement of new investors. Through these initiatives, we aim to enhance the livelihoods of the people in the Matale district.
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