Rs. 5,000 allowance to be paid to all farmer and fishermen pensioners

Saturday, 9 May 2020 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Over Rs.831 m to be paid to circa 166,000 pensioners from both sectors in lieu of their pension

The Government yesterday said arrangements had been made for the Rs. 5,000 payment to be paid to all those receiving farmer and fishermen pensions instead of their standard pensions, which would be an expense of Rs. 831 million in expenditure.

Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board Chairman Premachandra Epa issuing a press release said steps had been taken to pay the Rs. 5,000 allowance to farmer and fishermen pensioners for the month of May on the instructions of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Accordingly arrangements have been made for all farmer and fisherman pensioners to obtain the Rs. 5,000 from relevant post offices from 11-15 May as their pension payment.

Around Rs. 831 million will be paid to 162,000 farmer pensioners and 4,907 fisherman pensioners for the month of May.

The Department of Posts is prepared under the special patronage of the Postmaster General to make the payment of all farmer and fishermen pensioners through 4,200 post offices around the country.

The statement added that pensioners could use their pension account book as a curfew pass if they were residing in areas where curfew will be in force next week.

It was further informed that in case of any transport inconvenience affecting the pensioners, arrangements would be made by the respective District Office of the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board together with the security forces to provide transport to the affected pensioners.