Govt. allocates Rs. 2.68 b allowances for vulnerable citizens: Semasinghe

• Says elderly citizens, differently-abled individuals and kidney patients can collect allowances from tomorrow

State Minister of Finance  Shehan Semasinghe

STATE Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe yesterday confirmed that the Treasury has disbursed a sum of Rs. 2,684 million to all District Secretaries for the month of July to provide essential allowances to kidney patients, differently-abled individuals, and low-income elderly citizens. 

Under this initiative, eligible elderly citizens will be able to collect their allowances from local Post Offices, while differently-abled individuals and kidney patients can collect their allowances from Divisional Secretariats from tomorrow (25 August). 

Last week, the State Minister revealed that provisions were put in place to ensure that allowances remain unchanged for a total of 647,683 individuals. This includes 517,962 elderly citizens, 88,602 disabled persons, and 41,119 kidney patients. This assistance covers individuals both in and outside the Aswesuma welfare benefits program, catering to a diverse range of citizens in need. 

He emphasised the Government’s commitment to providing essential financial support to those who require it most. He also noted that these measures will continue until a new scheme is formulated to address the unique needs of these vulnerable groups.