• 33 ineligible families get benefits, similar number of eligible families excluded 

By Yohan Perera  

The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) disclosed that  almost 33% of the families receiving the Samurdhi benefit are families  who should not be entitled to it, and a similar per cent of eligible  families are not enrolled in the programme, a statement from the  parliamentary media unit said.   According to a survey conducted covering the entire country  from 2015 to 2017, this information was discovered and it was stated  that 449,979 families should be removed from the Samurdhi subsidy.    

Also, the officials of the National Audit Office said that  an informality is observed in the selection of Samurdhi beneficiaries.  

This was disclosed when the Committee on Public Accounts  (COPA) chaired by MP Lasantha Alagiyawanna, met on April 25 in  Parliament to review the matters included in the reports of the Auditor  General for 2019, 2020 and 2021 and the current performance of the  Department of Samurdhi Development.  

The empowerment of the beneficiaries was also discussed at  the Committee meeting and the COPA Chair was of the view that it was  observed that there has been no proper programme regarding the empowerment  of the beneficiaries.  

 The Committee inquired about the inclusion of the number  of employees there when the Samurdhi Authority was made a department,  and since the correct data was not submitted, it was recommended to  recall this department before COPA on May 26, and the chair said that  all the correct information about this would be required on that day.  
Also, the financial subsidies received in the year 2022  under the assistance of the World Bank were also discussed here and the  future plans of this department were also inquired about according to  the updates planned to be done in July this year. 

As no successful  programme was presented regarding the future plans, when the Samurdhi  Development Department comes before this committee on May 26, COPA  also recommended that a successful programme be presented.       

• There has been no proper programme regarding the empowerment  of the beneficiaries