INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) has directed the officials of the Welfare Benefits Board to prioritise the criteria that can be
committee pointed out that individual poverty can be identified better based on the electricity bill amount considering the electricity
units consumed in each home, the Parliamentary Communications Department said in a statement.The committee pointed out that there are major
The officials of the Ministry of Finance told the committee that they will change the method of giving points that is currently used in the
selection of relief beneficiaries.The matter was taken up for discussion when the Committee on Public Finance met in Parliament recently
(28) under the chairmanship of Dr
Harsha de Silva, the statement mentioned.Furthermore, the amendment to the regulations under section 27 of the Welfare Benefits Act No
24 of 2002 published in the Extraordinary Gazette No
2382/02 dated 29.04.2024 was considered before the Committee.The members of the committee pointed out the way in which huge corruption and
on Public Finance gave a recommendation to the Ministry of Finance officials to conduct the entire process from collecting necessary data to
the selection of relief beneficiaries only via electronic means, it added.Furthermore, the displeasure of the committee was expressed for
not taking formal legal action for the irregularities that have arisen in relation to the selection of beneficiaries
The Committee pointed out that by not taking legal action, more and more corruption and irregularities will occur and it will create a
serious obstacle for the right people to get the benefits.Accordingly, the Committee Chair instructed the officials to investigate the
complaints received and take necessary legal measures for the same.Additionally, the order was reconsidered under Section 3 of the Port and
Airport Development Tax Act No
18 of 2011 published in the Extraordinary Gazette No
formula for milk powder based on a scientific method
Accordingly, the Chair also instructed the officials to introduce the HHI (Herfindahl-Hirschman index) index, it added.Members of Parliament
Rauff Hakeem, Johnston Fernando, M
Sumanthiran, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Nimal Lanza, Madhura Withanage, Mayantha Dissanayake, and other government officials were present at
this Committee meeting held, according to the Parliamentary Communications Department.
