The Social Services Ministry has apportioned Rs 911 million to countrywide Divisional Secretariats to provide a Rs 1,000 allowance to people over 70 years in their districts under the government’s social security programme for the elderly.
“Over 450,000 persons will receive the allowance throughout the year starting this month,” Minister Perera said.
“The Social Services Ministry distributed the allowance in the Jaffna district. People over 70 years who are Samurdhi recipients or those entitled to a public allowance of Rs 100, belonging to the same age group, received Rs 1,000,” he said.
The minister said steps will be taken to extend the allowance to districts in the Eastern Province and the North Western Province soon.
He said 200,000 Samurdhi beneficiaries, aged over 70 will immediately benefit from the allowance. The beneficiaries will be issued pass books to collect their money from banks, the minister said.
“Sri Lanka has an aging population of two million, which is projected to become 20 million in 2025,” Minister Perera said. “We are focused on protecting the older people as their numbers increase as is projected. The Rs 1,000 allocation is only a beginning,” he added.
“We are studying the demography of the older population in Sri Lanka, their needs and changing life patterns under the directions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to provide services needed by them in the future.”
The minister said the impact of the aging population is such that there will be a need to change the production patterns to meet their demands.
The aging of the population will have a major impact on the organisation and delivery of services, especially in the department of health care.
“We will need more healthcare workers, such as nurses especially nurses and paraprofessionals,” he said.
The life expectancy rate of Sri Lankan men and women has increased to 73 and 76. This is mainly due to its effective free healthcare system, which the government plans to further improve as an immediate measure to address the challenge of aging population, he added.
By Chamikara WEERASINGHE
Source: Daily News (Sri Lanka)
