PARLIAMENT

• Immediately formulate a plan to eradicate poverty within the next five years – orders given to the Department of Samurdhi Development.
• Come to a final decision regarding the proposed staffing to the Department of Samurdhi Development within two weeks and grant approval - An order from the Committee to the Department of Management Services.

Hon. Gamini Waleboda instructed the Department of Samurdhi Development to conduct an urgent survey to identify other poverty-stricken families to be empowered. Commenting further, the Member of Parliament stated to the officials of the Department of Samurdhi Development to appoint a Committee together with the Ministry of Finance, the Welfare Benefits Board and the Department of Census and Statistics to take the necessary measures.

This was taken into discussion when the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Alleviating the Impact of the Economic Crisis met in Parliament on 19.09.2023 under Chaired by Hon. Gamini Waleboda Member of Parliament.

The discussion was held with the aim of reviewing the goals of the Department of Samurdhi Development to reduce the impact of the economic crisis and the current plans to achieve those goals in the year 2024.

The officials of the Department of Samurdhi Development, who presented the facts, mentioned that at present there are more than sixteen hundred thousand Samurdhi beneficiary families. Accordingly, the department has planned to empower forty-one hundred thousand families in the two years from 2024 to 2026.

The Chair reminded the officials that the responsibility of empowering all families who are affected by the economic crisis and those who are not is entrusted to the Department of Samurdhi Development. The Committee also ordered the Department of Samurdhi Development to immediately prepare a plan to eradicate poverty within the next five years.

The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Sajith Premadasa, addressing the Committee, pointed out the dire need to first establish technical definitions to identify poverty.

The Committee also discussed about the proposed number of new employees in the department, which has been presented in relation to the future plans of the Department of Samurdhi Development. The Committee Chair pointed out that the sacrifices made by the officers of the Department of Samurdhi Development Department during the Covid pandemic cannot be forgotten. The Chair instructed the officials of the Management Services Department to take into consideration the work done by them in the past while approving the proposed number of new employees. Accordingly, the Committee ordered the Management Services Department to come to a final decision about the proposed staff of the Samurdhi Development Department within two weeks and to approve it.

The Committee also discussed the people who have not yet received their pension due to the retired officials of the Samurdhi Development Department and the related reasons. The Chair asked the officials of the Department of Pensions to arrange for the payment of the basic pension to the employees who have not yet received their pension.

The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Sajith Premadasa, Committee Member Hon. Wasantha Yapabandara and Members of Parliament Hon. Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Hon. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Hon. (Prof.) Charitha Herath, Hon. (Dr.) Nalaka Godahewa, and officials were present at this Committee meeting held.