He was addressing a media briefing on issues in the current welfare system and its implementation at the Finance Ministry auditorium, yesterday.SSNP Project Director T.M.K.B. Tennekoon, addressing the media, pointed out the need to implement more systematic and scientific social safety programmes that cater to modern-day requirements. Moreover, the selection process for receiving benefits should also be scientific so as to prevent unqualified individuals from applying. Information Technology would be utilised for the proposed programme, he said.

Each year, around Rs. 60 billion is allocated annually from budget for social welfare programmes, including Samurdhi benefits, fertiliser subsidies and welfare for war heroes, Tennekoon said.Chairman Ranugge added that people have to apply to qualify as recipients of social welfare benefits with the SSNP, once it has been implemented. All Samurdhi beneficiaries should reapply. They could hand over their applications either to their respective Grama Niladari or Divisional Secretary. Online applications are also available, he said.

“Application details will be entered to a database and the selection process will be carried out through a scientific method by the Welfare Benefits Board alone in order to avoid irregularities” he added.Speaking further on the Samurdhi programme, the main social protection programme of the country, Ranugge added that there were 1,407,235 Samurdhi beneficiaries at present and that 941,169 of them are on the waiting list. According to him, of the 941,169 Samurdhi beneficiaries, some had been receiving benefits since 1995. The situation indicates that there was no proper mechanism to monitor whether or not certain beneficiaries were overcoming poverty.

“The main focus of social welfare programmes is to assist and empower people to reach higher economic positions. It is equal important to introduce an exit or graduation mechanism for Samurdhi beneficiaries to voluntarily quit the programme once they reach the targetted position,” he added.