WB approves US $ 75mn credit line for SL’s welfare programmes

The World Bank Board has approved a US $ 75 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA) to support Sri Lanka’s main welfare programmes by developing an integrated system to better manage the selection, administration and payments to beneficiaries of the programmes. 

The project will contribute to improving the equity, efficiency and transparency of the social safety net. The Social Safety Nets Project, to be implemented by the Finance Ministry, will assist the government to develop a single registry of citizens containing information on family structure and economic characteristics. The Welfare Benefits Board set up to manage the selection and payment of welfare beneficiaries, will develop and apply new selection criteria based on data in the registry. This will make the identification process fairer and more transparent and ensure that the benefits reach the intended households. The project will also strengthen the government’s capacity to monitor and improve welfare programmes.
The project will be implemented in partnership with the National Policies and Economic Affairs and Social Empowerment and Welfare Ministries and Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA).
Today, there are more than 30 welfare programmes in Sri Lanka, operated by 11 different ministries.