COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Welfare Benefit Fast Track Program ‘Leave No One Behind’ targeting low-income families, which was initiated as per the instructions of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, has so far received 2.3 million applications, according to the Welfare Benefit Board.The applications are being promptly entered into the system through Welfare Benefit Information Units established in 341 Divisional Secretariats throughout the country and as of today (12), 624,714 applications have been entered into the system.It is expected that the 600,000 families that have been downgraded to the low-income category, in the face of the second COVID-19 wave and the economic crisis faced by the country, as reported by the United Nations Development Program, are also eligible to apply for this Welfare Benefit Fast Track Program.
This is in addition to the 3.3 million families that are currently receiving welfare benefits or those who are already on the waiting list.Accordingly, it is estimated that 3.9 million families would apply for this social welfare program.
Hence, 3.9 million low-income families are to be benefitted from this program. The Welfare Benefit Board says that the program would be implemented under six phases and the second phase is also implemented concurrently with the first phase.