Sri Lanka, Oct. 15 -- The Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board has started paying pension arrears to beneficiaries of the former Farmers' Pension Scheme. Under the first phase of the programme, a total of Rs. 1,281,620 was paid to 113 farmers eligible for pensions in the Matara District.

The payments were made on October 13 at the Matara Postal Auditorium, under the patronage of Matara District Member of Parliament and Emeritus Professor L. M. Abeywickrama.

The payment of pension arrears to farmers who had reached the age of 60 and qualified for pensions from January 1, 2014, had been temporarily suspended. Taking into consideration the requests submitted by farmers regarding this matter, the Government has taken steps to resume th...