Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2019-05-28

Empowering Samurdhi Beneficiaries

- Approximately 1.4 million families at present receive benefits under the Samurdhi programme and the Government has planned to provide benefits for about further 600,000 families. As such, it has been proposed to empower 500,000 families and implement 50,000 manufacturing projects within the next three years. Further, 5000 export villages are to be established in the areas where Samurdhi Beneficiaries live and through this action would be taken to increase the production of economic and exports crops and launch small and medium scale industries. Hon. Daya Gamage, the Minister of Primary Industries and Social Empowerment informed the Cabinet that action has also been taken to conduct awareness programmes countrywide to empower Samurdhi beneficiaries as a work force contributing to the economy and export earnings and to rid them of the dependency mentality.