Today (15) the "Artha" program, created to provide living allowance to children in institutional care or custody and street children through the 2025 National Budget, was launched at the Sethsiripaya premises in Battaramulla under the theme "You belong to the country - the whole country belongs to you".
These provisions, which were allocated in line with the concept of "Protecting and Empowering Children" of the government led by the Hon. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Under the guidance of the Hon. Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Mrs. Saroja Savitri Paulraj and Deputy Minister, Dr. Namal Sudarshana, the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs and its affiliated institution, the Department of Probation and Child Protection Services, prepared this operational process and obtained the approval of the Cabinet for the same.
Accordingly, a monthly allowance of Rs. 5,000/= will be provided to the children who are referred to institutional care after being in an unsafe situation in institutional care, guardianship or on the streets. The child will be provided until the age of 18. Out of the Rs. 5,000/=, Rs. 3,000/= will be given to the guardians for the welfare of the children and the remaining Rs. 2,000/= will be deposited monthly in an account opened in the name of the child.
The National Savings Bank is involved in this task as the official banking partner and the Provincial Probation and Child Protection Services Department, the Social Services Department, the Sri Lanka Police and many other departments are participating as the operational mechanism for implementation.
The inaugural program of this "Artha" launch was attended by the Hon. Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Mrs. Saroja Savitri Paulraj, Hon. Deputy Minister, Dr. Namal Sudarshana, Hon. Deputy Speaker, Dr. Rizvi Salley, Hon. Deputy Committee Chairman, Mrs. Hemali Weerasekara, Hon. Minister of Justice and National Integration, Mr. Harshana Nanayakkara, Hon. Minister of Plantations and Community Infrastructure, Mr. Samantha Vidyaratne, Hon. Deputy Minister of Justice and National Integration, Mr. Munir Mulaffar, Hon. Member of Parliament, Mrs. Samanmali Gunasinghe, Hon. Member of Parliament, Mrs. Lakmali Hemachandra, Secretary to the Prime Minister, Ministry Secretaries and Provincial Chief Secretaries, and Ministry and Provincial Officers, Artists, Beneficiaries representing the nine provinces and Journalists were present at the event.
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