The Hon. Nandana Pathmakumara

¶ 01 I am pleased to have a few minutes to speak on the Aswesuma welfare payment scheme.

¶ 02 An Opposition MP from Kalutara claimed prices have not fallen, factories are closed, taxes are high, and public servants have no relief. We believe that in the past one year and four months, prices have reduced significantly—the people know this. Lawful industries are beginning, not closing; if any are shut, they are drug-related ones. Taxes must be collected, including from those who evaded them in the past.

¶ 03 Our Government has provided unprecedented relief to public servants, including salary increases. It is difficult because we are undoing 76 years of accumulated issues, but we are doing it.

¶ 04 Causes of poverty included failed state interventions, inadequate protection for elderly and persons with disabilities, unequal opportunities in free education, weaknesses in health services, and failures in housing and security. We are changing these. We increased the elderly allowance from Rs. 1,000–2,000 to Rs. 5,000. No government has cared for the elderly and disabled as much as ours.

¶ 05 A key feature of poverty is education. We are undertaking reforms to correct systemic weaknesses; the Opposition tried to block them. Without reform, we cannot progress. We are also addressing disparities in school education and have allocated the highest ever budget to health to fix past collapses.

¶ 06 To eradicate poverty, we have funded rural roads, housing, self-employment and industries in the 2026 Budget. We will quickly reduce poverty and make our people happier. I conclude. Thank you.