President Ranil Wickremesinghe has revealed that the Aswesuma benefits have been increased by threefold, as part of the new social construct being built by the government.
The Head of State revealed this while addressing the Colombo University Budget 2024 forum, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.
Accordingly, admitting that the enormity of the crisis exceeded the government’s capacity to address it within a single budget, the President had emphasised that “adaptation is essential”.
“It’s not something we can ignore. Adaptation is essential. It’s crucial to recognize that change is imperative & we must embrace change & this is the direction we’re headed”, he said in this regard.
Delivering the 2024 Budget speech in Parliament on 13 November, President Wickremesinghe revealed that although the Aswesuma benefits were initially provided with the support of several development partners including the World Bank, the government aims to finance the said benefits from the country’s own funds in 2024.
“In the previous years, we have spent Rs. 60 billion for this programme. Now, it has been increased to Rs. 183 billion. In the year 2024, it is expected to spend three times the amount spent on the social security programs in the previous years for the Aswesuma programme”, President Wickremesinghe said, adding that this increase would help provide relief for two million families.
