The deadline for the application submission for the second phase of the Aswesuma, welfare beneficiary programme, has been extended to 22 March, said State Minister of Finance, Shehan Semasinghe said yesterday (14).

In an interview with The Daily Morning Business, State Minister Semasinghe said: “The Welfare Benefits Board (of Sri Lanka) has decided to extend the deadline up to 22 March.” 

The initial application deadline was scheduled to be today (15). However, due to numerous requests made by various authorities, the extension for the application of submission has been announced, added the subject state minister.  

Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, State Minister said: “So far 130,000 new applications have been received in the system”

There is also an additional number of applications that need to be entered in the data system as they have been handed over physically to the Divisional Secretariats, he noted.  

 Welfare Benefits Board Chairperson Jayantha Wijeratne, announced that applications for the second phase of ‘Aswesuma’ was accepted from 15 February, giving opportunity to the families who did not apply for the first phase of ‘Aswesuma’, and those who did not participate in the housing information census though submitted application, can apply at this phase. 

Wijeratne said that during the second phase of ‘Aswesuma’, benefits are anticipated to be extended to 2.4 million families. It was emphasised that expediting the benefits process requires submitting applications with accurate and truthful information. 

In addition, he also stressed the necessity of including the National Identity Card number of applicants during the application process for the second phase to ensure timely provision of benefits within the specified timeframe, during the press conference held at the Presidential Media Centre to announce the commencement of applications for the ‘Aswesuma’.

Applications for the second phase of Aswesuma can be submitted via an online system on its official website or through Divisional Secretariats or from Grama Niladhari. 

Applicants also have the option to complete the application form in Sinhala, Tamil or English