Parliament has demanded major reforms to the Aswesuma welfare scheme over flawed beneficiary selection, data errors, misuse allegations, and transparency concerns following a committee probe supported by World Bank and watchdog recommendations.

Sri Lanka’s Parliament has called for sweeping reforms to the country’s Aswesuma social security scheme amid growing concerns over its beneficiary selection process, data integrity, and allegations of misuse. The move follows intensive scrutiny by a parliamentary committee, backed by recommendations from the World Bank and watchdog groups.

Push for a National Social Registry to Replace Self-Registration

The Committee on Ways and Means, chaired by MP Wijesiri Basnayake, has urged a complete redesign of how Aswesuma beneficiaries are identified and registered. In its recent review with the Welfare Benefits Board, the committee was sharply critical of the existing 22-criterion system used to assess eligibility.

At present, households must proactively apply to the scheme; only those who “require assistance” enrol themselves. The committee has proposed the establishment of a comprehensive Social Registry that would cover the entire population, not just self-selected applicants. Such a registry, the lawmakers argue, would help ensure that no truly needy household is overlooked.

This demand ties into wider concerns about exclusion errors and the need for more systematic targeting – a shift from reactive to proactive welfare delivery.

World Bank Emphasises Need for Updated, Verified Beneficiary Data

Backing Parliament’s call, World Bank officials recently urged Sri Lankan authorities to invest in a modern, continuously updated data system to underpin Aswesuma selection. They made their case during a joint meeting with MPs and officials from the Ministry of Finance, held at Parliament.

World Bank representatives, including Senior Economist Francesca Lamanna and Social Security Specialist Srinivas Varadan, stressed that merely registering citizens in a database is not enough: data must also be verified and analysed to correctly classify who is eligible for benefits.

They called the establishment of a data-driven social security registry a “productive long-term investment” and pledged technical support and international expertise to help build the system.

During the same meeting, several MPs supported a more decentralised approach: involving local-level committees in beneficiary selection and publishing final beneficiary lists publicly in each village to enhance transparency.

Implementing officials acknowledged coordination failures, noting that Divisional Secretaries and Grama Niladhari officers had not always received clear, timely information. They said steps are now underway to strengthen communication and streamline roles.

RTI Concerns: Allegations of Bogus Information and Calls for Legal Action

Meanwhile, civil society is raising alarms. A Right to Information (RTI) Sri Lanka report has detailed fraudulent claims under the Aswesuma scheme, alleging that some beneficiaries submitted false or misleading data to qualify for allowances.

According to the report, the RTI Commission has already urged the government to suspend such payments pending investigations, and has called for legal measures against those found guilty.

The watchdog also warns that gaps in enforcement and verification have exposed the system to manipulation, eroding public trust. Without robust checks, it argues, the scheme’s objective of aiding the genuinely poor may be undermined.

Parliament’s proposals for a social registry and more data verification appear to respond directly to these concerns, signalling a push toward greater accountability.

Broader Context and Implications

Launched in July 2023, Aswesuma was designed to replace Sri Lanka’s earlier Samurdhi welfare programme and to offer more targeted assistance. Under its framework, households are classified into four categories – extreme poor, poor, vulnerable, and transitional – with different levels of monthly assistance.

But despite its ambitions, Aswesuma has faced criticism regarding its accuracy and fairness. According to parliamentary sources, officials admitted that insufficient data sharing had hampered the implementation at the ground level.

Beyond selection issues, Parliament is under pressure to address the risk of exclusion of deserving households. Some MPs argue that the self-registration model used today inherently biases the system toward households that are already aware and motivated to apply, while missing those who are most marginalized.

If adopted, the proposed registry would institutionalise a system of universal social data collection, aiming for a more inclusive, evidence-based model – akin to what many development experts recommend for social protection programmes. The World Bank’s support suggests that such a system may also pave the way for future reforms and investments.

Government Response and Next Steps

In response to the parliamentary demands, Welfare Benefits Board leaders have committed to exploring the roadmap for building a national registry. Whether that translates into legislation or budgetary allocation remains to be seen.

On their part, World Bank officials have reiterated their readiness to assist. The question now is whether Sri Lanka’s political institutions and bureaucratic machinery can move fast enough to operationalise these reforms – especially ahead of growing public scrutiny.

In the meantime, civil society will likely continue pressing for accountability, especially in light of RTI-documented abuses. Without stronger checks, the risk remains that Aswesuma may fail to reach its transformative potential as a truly equitable social safety net.