Elders return empty handed

Elders who are over 70 years say that the Minuwangoda Provincial Secretariat did not have sufficient funds to pay them Rs. 2,000 as promised by the government. They had been told that the Secretariat could pay the grant to those over 75 years as funds received are insufficient to make the payment to all.

Officer in charge of payments had told them that there are about 3,114 in the list and that 20 to 30 persons join the list every month. The funds at the Secretariat are insufficient; hence, the office had no option than to limit payments to those above 75 and to those seriously ill. The government stated that Rs. 2,000 per month would be paid to elders who are over 70 years with no income of their own.