Govt to conduct island-wide survey on Samurdhi beneficiaries

The Government is to undertake an island-wide survey on Samudhri beneficiaries in preparation to offering them more benefits in the upcoming Budget.

State Minister of Samurdhi Shehan Semasinghe told Times Online that he had ordered the Director General of the Samurdhi Authority to conduct the survey covering all 14,022 Grama Niladhari Divisions spread across the country's 332 Divisional Secretariat Divisions. He added that the Government ordered the Samurdhi Authority to carry out the survey to identify the correct number of Samurdhi beneficiaries and those eligible to receive Samurdhi benefits.

"We don't believe the current number is true reflection of the number of Samurdhi beneficiaries in the country. Some are receiving Samurdhi benefits though they are not eligible for it. On the otherhand, there are those who are eligible for Samurdhi who are currently not entitled to the benefits," the State Minister explained. 

The survey on Samurdhi beneficiaries is expected to be completed in about two months. Minister Semasinghe said the report on the final survey will be handed over to the ministry and it will be incorporated into the upcoming 2021 Budget, where the Government expects to announce increased benefits to Samurdhi beneficiaries.