Aswesuma payments for the month of October have been transferred to banks and will be credited to the beneficiary accounts from today (05) onwards, State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe said. Taking to X, State Minister Semasinghe said that the payments due to 1,406,932 Aswesuma beneficiary families amounting Rs. 8,775 million had been transferred to relevant banks from the Treasury.
In addition, he said that once the review of appeals and objections are completed, the eligible individuals will receive their Aswesuma welfare benefit payments from July 1.
These payments will be distributed among four social categories, namely transitional, vulnerable, poor, and extremely poor. Additionally, the usual allowances for the differently-abled, elderly, and kidney patients will also be provided. Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry said that the November and December Aswesuma instalments will be paid to the beneficiaries before the end of this year and in addition, the call for new applications will also start this month.
A total of 209,225 families under the transitional category, 290,070 families under the vulnerable category, 605,379 families under the poor category and 302,258 families under the extremely poor category will get benefits this year, the State Minister said.
He said that according to President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s instructions, he will conduct Aswesuma reviews every six months. He also emphasized that he has taken necessary steps to pay the arrears to elderly, kidney and disabled beneficiaries.
Varuna Dayaratne