October 7, 2022
2 mins read

Welfare programme for 3.1 mn Lankan families

The PMD also said the economic situation in the South Asian island country will improve in 2023….reports Asian Lite News

The Sri Lankan government launched its restructured welfare benefits programme that will benefit 3.1 million vulnerable families.

President’s Media Division (PMD) said on Thursday that they have started registering those who deserve the government assistance and those who are interested in receiving the aid must register before October 15.

Applications can be downloaded from the website of the Welfare Benefits Board, the PMD said. The format of applications will also be published in all newspapers.

The theme of the programme is to “leave no one behind.”

Among those who are eligible to seek the benefit are those who already receive government assistance, those who are chronically ill or disabled, the elderly, and those who have lost their livelihood due to the current economic crisis.

The PMD also said the economic situation in the South Asian island country will improve in 2023.

Tourism hopes

Sri Lanka hopes to attract over 900,000 tourists by the end of this year as the country works toward restoring normalcy following recent economic and political instability, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) said on Wednesday.

SLTDA Chairperson Priantha Fernando said in a statement that Sri Lanka aims to attract at least 972,475 tourists by the end of 2022, Xinhua news agency reported.

“We are not happy with the arrival figures over the last nine months. It is a gradual build-up, fighting against the negativity,” Fernando said.

“However efforts are being taken to increase the influx of international visitors for the remaining months of the year,” he added.

Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals faced a drastic drop in September, when only 29,802 visitors entered the country despite the relaxation of travel restrictions imposed by key source markets.

According to industry experts, the country is well behind its competitors in the region in its tourism sector recovery. Competing nations such as the Maldives have been welcoming well over 100,000 tourists on a monthly basis for the past several months, while tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka have been ranging from 30,000 to 60,000, official statistics have shown.

Tourism, one of Sri Lanka’s leading foreign exchange earners, has suffered a setback due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic and political crises.

Interest rates unchanged

 Sri Lanka’s central bank decided to maintain the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) at their current levels of 14.50 per cent and 15.50 per cent, respectively.

The central bank announced on Thursday that it arrived at this decision after considering the latest macroeconomic conditions, expected developments, and macroeconomic projections, Xinhua news agency reported.

It said it noted the present tight monetary conditions, the reducing pace of inflation, and both domestic and global factors have helped the country stabilise.

The current fiscal policies are complementing the monetary policy and are helping to mitigate any build-up of aggregate demand pressures, it said.

The central bank expects the country’s headline inflation to drop to 4 to 6 percent over the medium term.

ALSO READ: India abstains from UNHCR vote on China, Lanka

Previous Story

Lanka begins debt restructuring talks with China

Next Story

Xi’s quest for power grows stronger

Latest from -Top News

‘Kill and Dump’ Haunts Balochistan Again

The latest killings have reignited accusations of extrajudicial executions and the use of counterterrorism laws to cover up custodial deaths in Balochistan….reports Asian Lite News Concerns have deepened across Balochistan following the

‘ASEAN Expands, But Keeps Its Soul’

Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan urged ASEAN to uphold its unity and strategic resolve amid intensifying geopolitical tensions and mounting external pressures…reports Asian Lite News Consensus and inclusivity will remain the cornerstones

Bangladesh bends to beat Trump’s blow

Dhaka seeks compromise as Trump’s 35% tariff looms large over key exports; Washington urges worker protections, factory relocation to US…reports Asian Lite News Bangladesh has opened the second round of critical trade

China seethes as US lands F-35s in PH

As US F-35 jets land in the Philippines for the first time, Manila cements its frontline role in Washington’s power play against rising China….reports Asian Lite News The Philippines is rapidly cementing
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Global Power Shifts Impact Neutral Nations, Says SL President

Sri Lankan President asserted that global power conflicts are adding

Lankan envoy meets Goyal, discusses economic recovery plans

Moragoda thanked India for the unprecedented support that it has