2023-10-04
It was disclosed at the Committee on Ways and Means that 12.3 million people out of the 22.16 million of the population of Sri Lanka have reached the economic risk level, according to the policy report based on the Multidimensional Risk Index called the National Citizen Survey issued by the United Nations Development Program for the year 2022-23. According to the report, 6 out of every 10 people in Sri Lanka are at risk. It is 55.7%. In rural areas this is as high as 82%. Puttalam district is the most vulnerable area and its percentage is 71.8%.
The discussion on this was held at the Committee on Ways and Means held under the Chairmanship of Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka today (Oct. 4) at the Parliament premises. The government's social welfare program, social security network was discussed at the Committee meeting held. Officials of many Government institutions including the Department of Social Services, Sri Lanka Social Security Board, Welfare Benefits Board, Ministry of Finance were also present at this discussion.
According to the said report, in the development of this situation in Sri Lanka, the 2019 Easter Sunday attack, 2020 Covid-19 epidemic, 2022 economic crisis in April, budget deficit, balance of payment crisis, debt obligations, the GDP growth rate in 2022 has moved to a negative of 7.8.
The Committee Chair mentioned that according to the relevant report, the United Nations Development Program has indicated this dangerous situation under three sectors. Accordingly; Education, health and natural disasters, living standards are the three sectors. The chairman pointed out that currently 6 out of 10 people in Sri Lanka are in the risk zone, and after a year this situation may increase to 8 out of 10 people. Therefore, Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka emphasized the need to prepare a formal and strong social safety net for the vulnerable people. School attendance of students, health, water, food. The United Nations Development Program has considered 12 issues including the ability to face disasters, the ability to adapt, the quality of life, property, unemployment, lack of adequate employment, indebtedness.
The Committee Chair asked the respective officials regarding the progress of the survey conducted by the Welfare Benefits Board regarding the 'Awaswasum' benefit programme’. This survey was conducted by the Welfare Benefits Board in accordance with the Welfare Benefits Act No. 24 of 2002, and 3.7 million families have received applications for this, and the data has been collected from 3.5 million families, the officials of the Board said. Out of this, 1.79 million families have been selected as uninsured beneficiaries. For this, more than 20 criteria including education, health, economic level have been considered.
The Chair pointed out that the survey work has been successful due to providing a vivid criterion. In addition to this, due to giving incorrect criteria in the selection of uninsured beneficiaries, it was disclosed that it resulted in more than 400,000 beneficiaries not submitting applications, not collecting data and information properly, the complexity of the appeal process, inclusion of wrong information due to deficiencies in the applicant's mobile phone application, many concerns such as non-inclusion of certain information.
Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka, the Committee Chair, pointed out that the new system introduced to carry out the process for selecting the beneficiaries in a formal and proper manner has failed more than the existing system. As the main reason, he pointed out; Village officers, development officers, agricultural research officers and development officers have no experience in the field and therefore to use a new group instead of using them. Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka also pointed out that the relevant experienced officers could not join for this due to their professional issues, and they could have been brought together for the related survey after considering those issues.
On 31.07.2023, out of 1.7 million people selected as insurance beneficiaries, benefits have been paid 1.1 million people, and for the remaining more 500,000, several reasons have affected the delay in the payment of benefits, the officials said. Delays in opening bank accounts, appeals and objections, entering the same national identity number twice or more than once, bank account number being inconsistent with the NIC number, errors such as number mismatch, giving the same account number by different people have caused the delay. Officials pointed out that by October 31st, these issues will be solved and benefits can be given for the rest of the people.
The Committee Chair on the Committee on Ways and Means emphasized that the country has become bankrupt and people are losing their income, and the common people are facing many serious problems regarding the education of their children. Within the span of last 3 years, the expenditure tripled while the income remained unchanged. Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka pointed out that it is not practical and humane to find such group of people who are becoming extremely poor in the society facing such difficulties only by using 20 parameters. He also stated that this process should be based on a simple parameter that no one can falsify, such as the electricity bill, and these benefits should be released to the needy people as soon as possible. He reiterated the need to contribute to this, including the Grama Niladhari officials, Samurdhi officials who can deal with the public.
The Committee Chair who instructed the officials to send an updated report of the report presented today to the Committee in the first week of November stating that he will bring the report to the attention of all the Parliamentarians.
It was disclosed that the welfare allowances of disabled, elderly and kidney patients have been paid for the months of July and August, and the allowances are scheduled to be released in September. Benefits have been released for 72000 elderly, 416667 disabled and 39150 persons with kidney disease. Officials said that the senior allowance will be sent through the post office, and other allowances will be sent through the regional secretariat.
Members of Parliament Hon. Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Hon. Ashok Abeysinghe, Hon. Ishak Rahuman, Hon. Sanjeeva Edirimanna, Hon. Wasantha Yapabandara, Hon. Niroshan Perera, Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva, Hon. J. C. Alawathuwala, Hon. B. Y. G. Rathnasekara, Hon. Harshana Rajakaruna, Hon. Udayana Kirindigoda, Hon. Asanka Navarathna, Hon. Jagath Kumara, Hon. K. P. S. Kumarasiri and Hon. (Dr.) Upul Galappaththi were present at the Committee meeting held.
2026-09-18
Hon. Member of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva, MP (Parliament of Sri Lanka) was awarded the 2026 New Parliamentarian Award in recognition of his contribution to promoting inclusive parliamentary democracy. The award was officially presented to him yesterday (Sep. 17) at the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference held in Cape Town, South Africa.Elected in November 2024 as Sri Lanka's first-ever blind Member of Parliament, he has advanced the principles of disability-inclusive governance through his work as Chair of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities. Through cross-institutional collaboration, he has also delivered practical reforms, best exemplified through Sri Lanka's first national participatory budget consultation with persons with disabilities.
2026-09-18
The Select Committee of Parliament to conduct a comprehensive study on the lack of preparedness to face Cyclone Ditwah and report to Parliament and submit its proposals and recommendations in that regard, has decided to summon representatives of Pradeshiya Sabhas and Municipal Councils before the Committee to examine how local authorities coordinated their response during the disaster situation.Committee members particularly highlighted the need for further investigation into how local authorities, including Pradeshiya Sabhas and Municipal Councils, were involved in official communication and coordination processes during the disaster.At a recent meeting of the Committee held in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, information was sought from members of the National Council for Disaster Management and the District Secretaries of Kandy and Matale regarding the disaster management process in the Kandy and Matale districts.Accordingly, the Committee focused its attention on the early warning systems, communication among government institutions, and emergency response procedures in response to the heavy rainfall, landslides, and flooding experienced in these areas from 23 to 27 November 2025.The Committee also discussed the need to establish formal written procedures to be followed during emergency disaster situations, conduct disaster preparedness drills regularly, and further improve the efficiency of early warning systems.Committee members, including Hon. Deputy Ministers Major General (Retired) Aruna Jayasekara and Anton Jayakody, and Members of Parliament Attorney-at-Law Anuradha Jayaratne, Rohini Kumari Wijerathne, Kanthasamy Prabu, Ruwan Mapalagama, and Dr. Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam, also participated in the meeting.
2026-09-17
The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Energy Affairs approved the Order relating to the calling for investment proposals for the exploration and development of petroleum resources in Sri Lanka and the formalization of the relevant process.The approval was granted at a meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee held recently (Sep. 11) at Parliament under the chairmanship of Anura Karunathilaka, Hon. Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation and Energy.The Order, made by the Minister of Energy under Section 48 of the Petroleum Resources Act, No. 21 of 2021, read together with Section 17 of the said Act, and approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, was published in the Extraordinary Gazette No. 2497/37 dated 16 July 2026.Under this Order, any person seeking to explore or develop petroleum resources in one or more identified blocks is required to submit an investment proposal together with payment of the administrative fee specified in the relevant invitation for bids.Deputy Minister of Energy Arkam Illyas, Members of Parliament, officials of the Ministry of Energy, and other officials participated in the meeting.
2026-09-17
Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Hon. Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, emphasized that universities must take the necessary measures to ensure that victim students have confidence in the investigations being conducted into incidents of ragging at universities.This matter was discussed at a meeting of the Subcommittee on Higher Education, convened under the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, which was held at Parliament under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister.The meeting included an extensive discussion on measures to be taken regarding vacancies in the higher education sector, particularly at universities, as well as incidents of ragging.The Prime Minister pointed out that universities have a moral responsibility to prevent and control ragging and emphasized that students subjected to ragging must have confidence in the investigative procedures currently in place at universities.Accordingly, the Prime Minister stressed that investigations into ragging incidents must be efficient and effective and should be conducted in a manner that enables relief to be provided to victim students without delay.The Prime Minister also inquired from university vice-chancellors about the failure to date to make appointments that have already been approved by the Ministry to fill vacancies at universities. She instructed officials to take the necessary measures to fill the approved vacancies expeditiously.The meeting was attended by Hon. Dr. Upali Pannilage, Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Social Empowerment; Hon. Dr. Madhura Seneviratne, Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education; Hon. Member of Parliament Manjula Sugath Ratnayake; university vice-chancellors; the Chairman of the University Grants Commission; and a number of other representatives.
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