Professor Sirimevan Colombage reveals that about 40.4% of the total population of the country suffers from poverty.
Despite data from the Department of Census and Statistics the rate is 4.1%, according to world-accepted criteria, it is about 40.4% points out Professor Colombage.
He revealed that the Department of Census and Statistics calculates the rate based on consumer access, where the daily income of those living below the poverty line is estimated at US$ 3.2.
However, according to world-accepted criteria, those earning less than US$ 5.5 a day live in poverty. As a result, about 9.6 million of the country’s population is living in poverty. The professor has given this information to the Daily FT newspaper.
