Aswasuma scheme must not be politicised like Samurdhi – NPP

National People’s Power (NPP) MP Dr. Harini Amarasuriya told Parliament yesterday (12) that all welfare programmes launched in this country have been politicized.

She said that the “Aswasuma” Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme has also been politicized in the same way.

The MP said this while joining the debate on the “Aswasuma” Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme under the Welfare Benefits Act published under the Gazette Notification 2328/13.

She further said that the process of data collection for this benefit payment scheme is also a very complicated process. If it is not done properly, the people who have real claims will be missed. MP Amarasuriya said that the data should be collected according to the twenty-two criteria and she questioned whether there was any issue that occurred in data collection.

She also inquired whether there are any methods to update the data of this scheme in the state departments. Amarasuriya said the Janasaviya and Samurdhi programmes are not functioning properly due to politicization and welfare programmes should not be politicised if they are to function properly.

She questioned whether steps have been taken to ensure that the Aswasuma programme is implemented out of politics.