‘Aim of Samurdhi is to make beneficiaries self-reliant’

The Government expects Samurdhi beneficiaries to be able to earn an income without depending on Samurdhi benefits.

As such the Samurdhi managers should work to strengthen the livelihood empowerment of Samurdhi beneficiaries, Anuradhapura Government Agent Janaka Jayasundara said. He was speaking at the 2021 progress review meeting of Samurdhi managers in the Anuradhapura district.

Eadication of poverty in Sri Lanka was in the hands of the Samurdhi Development Department, which would lead to a poverty-free, self-sufficient and prosperous country.

The number of families in Anuradhapura District entitled for Samurdhi benefits is 71,699, which is around 28 percent of the total population of the district. In 2021, 1,688 beneficiary families were registered. This trend shows that the endeavours of the district Samurdhi officials have been a success. Under the circumstances, the empowerment of the activities of the Samurdhi Development Department would ensure a significant drop in the number of Samurdhi beneficiary families. The Samurdhi beneficiaries should treat the Samurdhi stamp as an encouragement to become economically self sufficient, the Government Agent said.

It was revealed at the progress review meeting that under the Samurdhi community centric programmes, 110 houses are under construction using the gratuity of Rs. 200,000 per beneficiary family and another 22 houses on houses are being constructed with aid of Rs. 600,000 per homeless family in the district. Also 4,452 Samurdhi beneficiary families have been offered financial aid to construct toilets.

In addition, on the micro interest Rs 20,000 loan facility per family, 7,467 families have been granted funds to get electricity for their houses. The district Samurdhi Director A.W. Wasantha also spoke at the meeting.