Gazette issued revising subjects & institutions of several ministries
Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment – Dr. Upali Pannilage, has stated that 83% of families in Sri Lanka exhibit a “begging mindset”.
Speaking on the issue, Dr. Pannilage clarified that this attitude is not driven by genuine need but the want to receive aid.
, but from expecting aid, reflecting both economic and mental poverty.
Citing data from the Department of Census and Statistics, the minister noted that out of around 5.2 million families in 2024, 4.3 million had applied for the ‘Aswesuma’ welfare benefit allowance from the Welfare Benefits Board.
He emphasized that the issue goes beyond micro-level economic concerns, highlighting a deeply ingrained political culture where some politicians, including former presidents, expect the public to look into their welfare in the manner of houses, vehicles, and staff.
Consciously or unconsciously, society has been shaped by this culture, and unless it is overcome, the country cannot progress, he added.
(Source: Divaina)
