Plan to increase Samurdhi beneficiaries proves more people in poverty - Ranjith de Zoysa

The Government’s plan to absorb a further 600,000 families as Samurdhi beneficiaries destroys its argument that poverty has reduced under its term, United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MP Ranjith de Zoysa told Parliament today.

By Sandun Jayawardana

Opening the Committee Stage debate on the Expenditure Head of the Ministry of Primary Industries and Social Empowerment, Mr de Zoysa noted that the Finance Minister, in his Budget Speech, had stated that the Government hopes to absorb an additional 600, 000 “deserving households” into the Samurdhi programme.

He claimed that 900,000 households in the country are already receiving Samurdhi assistance. “As such, the Government’s plan to add a further 600,000 households into the programme destroys the arguments put forward by the Prime Minister and other Government Ministers that the Government’s poverty alleviation programmes have brought results over the past four years. If anything, it proves that more people have now fallen into poverty,” he pointed out.

The MP further said that unlike during the period of the Rajapaksa Government, the Samurdhi programme has become politicized under the so-called Good Governance Government. “You now have Government MPs openly claiming that only those who belong to their party will hereafter receive Samurdhi benefits,” he remarked. 

Parliament is today debating the Expenditure Heads of the Ministry of Primary Industries and Social Empowerment, Non Cabinet Ministry of Public Distribution and Economic Reforms and the Non Cabinet Ministry of Special Areas Development.