Investigations units to probe Samurdhi malpractices

Uditha Kumarasinghe

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Samurdhi Authority (SLSA) has decided to set up investigations units affiliated to countrywide Samurdhi Bank Federations to immediately probe various malpractices and public complaints made on the Samurdhi programme.

In order to expedite the investigations, the SLSA has decided to set up 39 units countrywide. This will provide the opportunity to the public to directly make complaints and inform about various malpractices within the samurdhi movement, A Samurdhi Ministry spokesman told the Daily News yesterday.

At the initial stage, the SLSA has decided to set up these 39 units affiliated to Samurdhi Bank federations in Colombo, Gampaha, Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Badulla and Kurunegala districts.

The SLSA has appointed 40 Investigations Managers and 80 Investigations Officers to conduct the activities of these research units.

Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi handed over the appointment letters to these newly appointed officers at a ceremony held at the SLSA recently.

The Minister said these officers should extend their fullest cooperation to other officers. The Minister said she has never given any political protection to Samurdhi Development Officers who have been accused for financial malpractices. In the future too, no protection will be given for such errant officers, she said.