The Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran

¶ 01 Madam Deputy Chairperson, the continuation of the Aswesuma welfare payment scheme under the Welfare Benefits Act to provide both temporary relief and sustainable empowerment to vulnerable people is welcome. In Tamil, Aswesuma conveys “solace” or “comfort,” but true solace requires justice and effective delivery.

¶ 02 We lost our daughter, 12-year-old schoolgirl Kuganesan Dinojo of Silavathai, Mullaitivu, last month. Today is her 31st day of remembrance. I urge the Hon. Minister of Health and the Hon. Leader of the House to ensure an independent investigation into her death and deliver justice. Hospitals are the last hope for the vulnerable; when they become altars of sacrifice due to medical negligence, it shakes faith in the State. I also appreciate the dedicated service of officers and staff in Mullaitivu who continue to serve under difficult conditions.

¶ 03 On Aswesuma targeting: multidimensional poverty is assessed across six dimensions and 22 indicators covering education, health, economic status, assets, housing, and household composition. In Mullaitivu, 14,642 families were included in phase one and 2,942 in phase two — 17,784 in total — representing 52.64% and 55.86% of applicants respectively. Despite improvements over Samurdhi, there remain significant inclusion and exclusion errors.

¶ 04 I request the Government to: - Improve efficiency in application handling; - Ensure continuous monitoring and evaluation; - Provide timely responses to appeals; - Conduct periodic enumerations; and - Further refine the 22-indicator measurement framework.

¶ 05 Beyond national aggregates, persistent regional poverty in the North and East — especially the Vanni — requires attention. Indicators should account for conflict-affected realities: school closures (23 schools closed in Vavuniya North since the war), severe teacher shortages (over 45 teachers left in the last two years), and learning outcomes declining. Landlessness is a poverty marker — paddy, upland, and homestead. Many are landless not by choice but due to military occupation or takeovers by the Forest and Archaeology Departments. Are such households being correctly classified?

¶ 06 What of Keppapilavu (Mullaitivu) and Mullikulam (Mannar) — are they “poor” under indicators? Fisherfolk who cannot go to sea due to Indian trawlers and illegal practices, who cannot even recoup fuel costs — are they counted as poor?

¶ 07 Families of the disappeared and those detained as political prisoners continue to suffer; Aswesuma alone cannot provide solace. We are workers and cultivators. Give us back our lands, homesteads, fields, and gardens. Enable our livelihoods on land and sea. Release our detained relatives. That would be true solace.

¶ 08 On human-elephant conflict: the Vanni now faces rising fatalities. On 17.01.2026, 19-year-old Ponmudi Sujinthan was killed by a wild elephant while guarding fields in Thunukkai, Mullaitivu — one among many. Between 2020-2024, 739 people died in elephant encounters; several in Mullaitivu, and 12 in Vavuniya (2022-2024). Before 2009, such rampages were not seen. The Department of Wildlife Conservation and Forest Department are active in land acquisition but show less urgency in preventing conflict. I urge the Minister of Environment to visit Mullaitivu, Mannar, and Vavuniya, consult stakeholders, and implement rapid mitigation through the Wildlife Department.

¶ 09 On paddy procurement: harvesting has begun for Maha 2025/26 in the North and East. I thank the Government for announcing a purchase price in time. Now ensure the Paddy Marketing Board promptly procures paddy; delays force farmers to sell cheaply to private buyers and middlemen. This harvest has already been hit by floods; timely procurement is essential.

¶ 10 On fisheries: illegal practices — light fishing, purse-seining, dynamite — are rampant across our waters, especially North and East. I appreciate the Minister and State Minister for efforts to curb this, but enforcement must be stronger. Past Governments erred by allowing certain illegal coastal gears. Take action against those who enabled such practices, including officials where necessary. Thank you.