Sri Lanka, June 29 -- An accelerated programme to issue National Identity Cards (NICs) to low-income seniors deprived of the elderly allowance has been expedited.
The National Secretariat for Elders, functioning under the Rural Development, Social Security, and Community Empowerment Ministry, provides a monthly allowance of Rs. 5,000 to senior citizens over the age of 70 from low-income families. The current Government recently took measures to increase this allowance from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 and to expand the total number of beneficiaries to one million.
Accordingly, the elderly allowance is currently being distributed to 698,790 senior citizens through Aswesuma bank accounts and to 232,496 seniors through post offices. However, 76,71...