COLOMBO, April 8 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government paid around 200 billion rupees (about 666 million U.S. dollars) in 2023 to provide relief to the people affected by the economic crisis, President's Media Division (PMD) said on Monday quoting Presidential Director General Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon.
In a statement, Tennakoon said 189.65 billion rupees were spent on various aids, loans, allowances, and other relief needs, inclusive of appeals and outstanding payments in 2023.
Another 10 billion rupees were allocated for loans provided by Samurdhi Banks, Tennakoon said, bringing the government's total expenditure for social safety measures in 2023 to 199.7 billion rupees.
Samurdhi Banks are an institution established with the aim of poverty reduction.
In 2024, the government has initiated nutritional schemes for schoolchildren, support initiatives for expectant mothers, and distributed 20 kg of rice free of charge to impoverished families, Tennakoon said. ■