Sri Lanka, Jan. 14 -- Committee on Public Finance (COPF) has called for new criteria to select eligible recipients of Aswesuma social security scheme while inquiring on over allocation of funds for the payment of salaries to the employees of the Department of Samurdhi Development which implement the scheme.

"COPF instructed the officials of the Welfare Benefits Board to amend the existing criteria to make the Aswesuma Welfare Benefits Payment Scheme more effective," a statement from COPF said.

"Since various issues have arisen in relation to the existing 22 criteria used to determine the eligibility of individuals for the current Aswesuma Welfare Benefits Payment Scheme, officials were instructed to take measures to select future Aswesu...