The Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on Monday approved extending the financial assistance to low-income families by five more months from May to September 2023.

Cabinet Co-Spokesmanand Minister Bandula Gunawardena told the post Cabinet meeting media briefing that to avoid the difficulties that vulnerable families may have to face given the extremely tough economic conditions prevailing, necessary provisions have been allocated through the 2023 Budget to provide monetary relief for them within the first four months.

“The Government focuses on expediting the initiation of a new welfare benefits payment scheme, for which the survey to identify the beneficiaries using new qualifications and criteria is currently being conducted countrywide,” he added.

Pending the completion of the survey which has been initiated and the introduction of the proposed new welfare benefits payment scheme, the financial assistance to low-income families allocated in the 2023 Budget will be extended for five more months from May to September 2023.

The proposal to this effect submitted by President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as the Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policy Minister was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

President paints positivism in Parliament