Special loan for Samurdhi employees

Uditha Kumarasinghe

COLOMBO: The Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation Ministry has decided to grant a maximum of Rs. 100,000 as a special loan facility to Sri Lanka Samurdhi Authority (SLSA) employees.

This is until the Government formulates a scheme to make SLSA employees also eligible for the distress loan granted to public servants.

SLSA employees including Samurdhi Development Officers and Samurdhi Managers are not entitled to obtain the distress loan given to State employees as they come under an Authority, Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi told the Daily News. The Minister has submitted a Cabinet paper seeking approval to grant this distress loan facility to SLSA employees too.

Until the Government formulates a mechanism to provide the distress loan to SLSA employees, the Ministry has implemented a programme to grant them a maximum of Rs. 100,000 special loan to tide over their difficulties.

The Ministry has commenced this special credit facility to SLSA employees which carries a very low interest. Monies of the Samurdhi Social Security Fund will be utilised to provide these loans, the Minister said.According to Wanniarachchi, the decision was taken to provide this special loan following a request by the Samurdhi sector trade unions at several discussions with the Minister.

The Minister also instructed officials to submit a proposal to be incorporated in the 2007 budget seeking permission to grant the distress loan to SLSA employees.

She has already held discussions with six major trade unions.