Number of families getting disability grant to be increased

A proposal has been made in the budget estimate for 2012 to increase the number of families receiving the allowance paid to families with persons with disabilities, Social Services Minister Felix Perera said in Parliament yesterday.

According to this proposal, he said that, the number of families receiving this grant in a Divisional Secretariat Division, would be increased from 34 to 50 families. The minister said that the monthly grant paid to each selected family with persons with disabilities had amounted to Rs 3,000. He observed that there were 274,711 persons with multiple disabilities in the country at present according to statistics, and the number of families which they belong to is not yet computed.

He said that 11,216 families with no means of income at all, have been qualified to receive this grant at present.

The minister was responding to a question raised by UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana.