The government has initiated a targeted empowerment program to ensure that tax revenues spent on public welfare reach genuine beneficiaries.
While 2,439,917 families received the Aswesuma welfare benefit in 2025, that number dropped to 1,251,522 by August this year. The beneficiary list was reduced by nearly half following an investigation that identified and removed individuals who had previously obtained benefits under false pretenses. Speaking in Parliament, Deputy Minister of Finance Anil Jayantha stated that appeals for receiving Aswesuma assistance remain open until the end of this month, which may result in some additional eligible families being included in the updated list.
This reduction counters claims made by opposition groups alleging that public tax money is being improperly distributed.
