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US$ 750mn World Bank loan delayed: Samurdhi recipient list not verified

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A US$ 750 million loan from the World Bank has been delayed as verification of welfare beneficiaries has not been completed, among other pre-requisites, the Sunday Times learns.

The verification of the beneficiaries was due to be completed by Friday, March 31, but has now been deferred till April 10, thereby delaying the process of applying for the facility.

Under the programme, the recipients will be entitled to Rs 14,000 a month. Both, the IMF and the World Bank have pointed out that several Samurdhi beneficiaries are not below the poverty line and, therefore, not entitled to the benefits. The Government has been asked to prepare a list of ‘genuine’ beneficiaries.

The welfare beneficiary scheme is among six prerequisites to obtain the USD 750 million loan, following the IMF facility obtained two weeks ago.

Among the other pre-conditions are the opening of a Budget office in Parliament, the digitalisation of revenue collection and payments of Inland Revenue, and reforms in the Central Bank.  

A senior government official confirmed these were World Bank prerequisites that had yet to be fulfilled. He said that all the requirements could be completed soon with some of them already in the process of being completed.

The Government also needs to introduce a Social Security Bill under which the welfare payments would be made.

A senior Treasury official said the bill was due to be presented in Parliament this month and the programme could begin in June.

Welfare Benefits Board Chairman B. Wijeratne told the Sunday Times that 3.7 million applications had been received so far for social benefits and 2.4 million applicants had been verified up to date.

“There are several processes to complete the verification. They include an appeal process. We are trying to keep to the schedule,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Government had carried out a trial run of the new system by trying to disburse welfare benefits on the existing beneficiary list and found that Rs 500 million had been overclaimed, indicating that some of the beneficiaries had registered more than once. The new system is to be monitored by a QR code system.

(Sunday Times)

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3 dead in Dunhinda bus accident 

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Three persons have died from the bus accident at Dunhinda in Badulla today (June 21), according to hospital sources.

A total of 34 individuals were injured when the bus toppled down a precipice this evening (June 21) at the 4th Mile Post area, near the Dunhinda bends on the Badulla–Mahiyanganaya road.

According to reports, the passengers were a group of pilgrims travelling from Badulla to Anuradhapura.

The injured persons have been admitted to the Badulla General Hospital. 

Police are conducting further investigations.

(Pic : Accident1st)

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11th International Day of Yoga celebrated in Colombo (Pics)

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The 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) was celebrated with great enthusiasm by the High Commission of India in Colombo and its cultural arm, the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Sri Lanka at the historic Independence Square in Colombo today (June 21).

This year’s theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”, highlighted the universal relevance of yoga in fostering harmony between humans and nature.

The High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, H.E. Santosh Jha, joined the celebrations along with distinguished guests including Minister of Science and Technology – Dr. Chrishantha Abeysena, Minister of Labour and the Deputy Minister of Economic Development – Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka – Dr. Rizvie Salih, Deputy Minister of Defence – Major General K. P. Aruna Jayasekara, Deputy Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs – Gamagedara Dissanayake Deputy Minister of Sports – Sugath Thilakaratna, and other senior dignitaries.
The event began with a spiritual invocation through prayers by Most Ven. Dr. Maitipe Wimalasara Nayaka Thera and the Maha Sangha, who offered blessings for peace and well-being. A dynamic and refreshing yoga and meditation session followed, conducted by experts from renowned yoga institutions in India and Sri Lanka. The event brought together hundreds of yoga enthusiasts, dignitaries, and students in a shared spirit of wellness and unity. As part of the celebrations, a specially curated Yoga Pendrive and a Sinhala translation of the Hatha Yoga Pradeepika were launched, aiming to make authentic yoga knowledge more accessible. Complementing the main event in Colombo, the Consulates in Hambantota and Jaffna, along with the Assistant High Commission in Kandy, also organized special events – reflecting the enthusiastic and widespread participation in the 11th International Day of Yoga across Sri Lanka.

In a significant prelude to the main event, the Department of Ayurveda, Ministry of Health, Government of Sri Lanka and Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre jointly organized a landmark, island-wide celebration of the International Day of Yoga on 19 June 2025, with simultaneous yoga sessions held in 113 Ayurveda hospitals and four universities across all nine provinces – marking the first time such a nationwide initiative has been undertaken in Sri Lanka in a unified fashion.
It may be recalled that the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution piloted by India in 2014, proclaiming June 21 each year as the International Day of Yoga. The resolution was supported by more than 170 countries, with Sri Lanka being one of its proud co-sponsors.

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Mathews bows out of Test cricket

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Angelo Mathews ended his final Test innings today (June 21) after being dismissed during the Test match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at Galle International Stadium.

Mathews was dismissed after scoring just 8 runs off 45 balls after being caught by Mominul Haque. The match also ended as a draw.

Mathews retires from the longest format of the game as he made 8,214 runs from 119 Tests at an average of 44.4, with 16 centuries and 49 half-centuries to his name. 

In 2013, Angelo Mathews was handed the leadership of the Test side for the first time in his career. He also became historic as the youngest Sri Lanka player to become Test captain. 

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