Hon. Waruna Liyanage,—To ask the Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment,— (1)

(a) Will he accept that the —

(i) Sri Lanka Samurdhi Authority, established in the year 1995, was transformed into the Department of Samurdhi Development in the year 2013 and currently employs about 25,000 employees;

(ii) payment of pensions to the employees who have retired from the aforesaid department has been stopped for about a year and they and their dependents have been  in great difficulty as a result; and

(iii) election manifesto of the present government has also assured that the aforesaid problem will be resolved expeditiously?

(b) Will he inform this House of the —

(i) reasons for not paying pensions to the aforesaid employees, be it by withholding the retirement gratuity amount as a temporary measure;

(ii) measures that will be taken to provide a permanent solution for aforesaid matter?

(c) If not, why?