Ongoing relief measures will continue | Daily News

Ongoing relief measures will continue

The Government is not prepared to cut or reduce the ongoing relief measures provided to the people, no matter whatever challenges that we may have to face.

It is a mockery that the bankrupt Opposition politicians with sinister motives who heartlessly restricted even the Senior Citizens’ dole during the period of the Good Governess Government are levelling baseless allegations against the Government, State Minister of Samurdhi, Household Economy Micro Finance, Self Employment and Business Development Shehan Semasinghe.

He was speaking at an awareness workshop for Samurdhi community based trainers.

The workshop aimed at educating the participants regarding the various loan facility programmes being launched by the Samurdhi Development Department under the Budgetary allocations for 2021.

"The Government will thwart any attempts of money lending by unscrupulous micro financing agencies," he said.

"There are around 700 DS Divisions in the Anuradhapura District. Under the proposed relief programme, we will provide Rs.210 million to community based organisations providing training to the officials dealing with the programme in micro financing programmes. Under this programme, low income group families in rural areas will be able to obtain loans amounting to Rs.10,000 without being dependent on micro financing agencies or banks," Semasinghe said.

He said that the people would not be deprived of any social benefit being enjoyed by them. Rs.54 billion is spent annually for the payment of Samurdhi benefits.

"The previous Good Governance Government deprived the people of the fertiliser subsidy and cut off Rs.100 from the Elders’ Monthly Allowance," he pointed out.

The farmers have now started paddy harvesting for the Maha Season. The Government has allocated Rs.16,500 million for purchasing paddy.

The newly introduced paddy purchasing strategies and criteria are highly beneficial to the farmers as private sector dealers are compelled to purchase paddy at the stipulated guaranteed price set by the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB).

Samurdhi Director General Bandula Thilakasiri, District Samurdhi Director W. A. Wasantha and Assistant Director Mahinda Weerkoon were also present on the occasion.