June 28, Colombo (LNW): The Government has introduced a special fast-track programme to provide National Identity Cards (NICs) to elderly citizens who have been unable to receive their monthly financial assistance because they do not possess the required identification document.
The initiative is being implemented through a joint effort involving the National Secretariat for Elders, the Department for Registration of Persons and the Department of the Registrar General, operating under the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment.
The National Secretariat for Elders currently provides a monthly allowance of Rs. 5,000 to low-income citizens aged 70 and above. The current administration recently increased the payment from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 while also expanding the scheme to cover one million beneficiaries nationwide.
According to official figures, 698,790 eligible senior citizens receive the allowance through Aswesuma-linked bank accounts, while another 232,496 beneficiaries are paid through post offices. However, 76,716 elderly individuals have been excluded from receiving the benefit because they have not been issued with a National Identity Card.
To ensure these individuals are not deprived of financial assistance, the authorities have launched an accelerated process to issue NICs without unnecessary delays, allowing eligible recipients to resume receiving their monthly allowance as quickly as possible.
The National Secretariat for Elders has urged affected senior citizens, or their family members, to contact their respective Grama Niladhari, Community Empowerment Officer or Elder Rights Promotion Officer at the earliest opportunity so that their applications can be processed under the special programme.
In addition, details of eligible beneficiaries are being gathered through District and Regional Coordination Committees, Community Shakthi organisations and Community Development Councils. Officials say this coordinated approach is intended to identify every eligible senior citizen who has been left out of the scheme and ensure they are brought back into the payment system without delay.