UNF Govt's Social Welfare Act to be annulled

Uditha Kumarasinghe

COLOMBO: The Government has decided to cancel the Social Welfare Act introduced by the former UNP Government.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Minister of Finance has already instructed the Finance Ministry to revoke this Act.

The President has also given guidelines to the Finance Secretary to suspend the Social Welfare Board which comes under the Social Welfare Act, Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi told a media briefing yesterday.

On the recommendations of the World Bank, the former UNP Government moved the Social Welfare Act to cut down the present number of Samurdhi recipients, she said. The Minister said the Government has already done a significant amount of work for the well-being of nearly 22,000 Samurdhi Development Officers (SDOs). But some Samurdhi sector trade unions have launched trade union action putting various demands.

According to the Minister, this is the first time the Government allocated Rs. 5,009 million only for development activities of the Samurdhi movement. Annually, the Government provides credit facilities to nearly 400,000 low families in the Samurdhi movement.

As the Government is doing its utmost best to provide every possible benefit to the SDOs, the Minister requested the trade unions to give up their trade union action.

She said one of the major demands of some trade unions was revoking the Social Welfare Act approved by the former UNP Government. The President has already given instructions to annual this act.

On the President's directive, a six-member committee has also been appointed to look into to the legal and other aspects to provide pension benefits to Samurdhi Development Officers (SDOs).

This Committee chaired by the Monetary Commission Chairman Asoka Gunawardene will widely study on the existing problems within the Samurdhi movement and provide more benefits to SDOs.

The Government has also provided a maximum of Rs.200,000 housing loan to SDOs. The Government has also given relief to all politically victimised SDOs.