New strategy to select Samurdhi beneficiaries

COLOMBO: A new strategy will be adopted to select Samurdhi beneficiaries in future to prevent malpractices in the selection process, said Samurdhi Commissioner General Hemachandra Ranatunga.

At present 46 per cent of the country’s total population received Samurdhi relief whereas only 23 per cent of the population was under the poverty line according to surveys conducted by the Censes and Statistics Department.

Under the new selection process to be adopted from May only the deserving would receive the Samurdhi relief. This will help reduce the number of Samurdhi beneficiaries to a more realistic 30 per cent of the population.

Under the new selection process devised on the basis of experience gained under the ‘Gemi Diriya’ programme.

The Samurdhi beneficiaries would be selected by an association comprising the Bhikkhus of the village temple, Grama Niladhari, Village School Principal and Samurdhi Development officers at a meeting attended by the villagers.