Samurdhi Ceremony govT. planning to spend Rs.180 Mn

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera   

UPFA MP Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday claimed that the government was planning to spend Rs.180 million for the ceremony where samurdhi benefits would be distributed to 4,500 beneficiaries. 

He told parliament that it was a waste to spend such a huge amount of money for a function when the country was going through hard times.   
The MP said there was no transparency in distributing samurdhi benefits to 4500 new beneficiaries.   

House Leader Lakshman Kiriella said UNPers were deprived of samurdhi benefits for the past 20 years and added that it was only SLFP and UPFA members who received such benefits.   
“Are you opposed to giving samurdhi benefits to UNPers? Have you forgotten so soon that it is we who worked hard to elect President Maithripala Sirisena,” he said.