Daily Mirror

Highly Factual

Colombo, April 4 (Daily Mirror) - A written notice has been sent to the President’s Secretary and the Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development by the Election Commission requesting for steps to provide the seasonal food package after the Local government elections. The Election Commission has informed that the government's decision to provide a subsidized food package for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year has been temporarily suspended. According to a budget proposal, the food package was scheduled to be distributed to eligible beneficiaries selected from the 812,753 applicants who submitted new applications for relief benefits. It had been decided to provide essential food items worth Rs. 5,000 at a subsidized price of Rs. 2,500. The Cabinet recently approved this seasonal food package, which was planned to be distributed through Lanka Sathosa and co-operative outlets from April 1 to 13.

Ada Derana

Factual

The Election Commission has temporarily suspended the government’s New Year food relief program, citing concerns over its implementation ahead of the upcoming local government elections. In a written notice, the Commission has instructed the Secretary to the President and the Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development to postpone the distribution of the seasonal relief food package until after the elections are held. The initiative, based on a recent budget proposal, aimed to provide essential food items valued at Rs. 5,000 at a subsidized rate of Rs. 2,500 to eligible low-income families. The benefit was intended for selected individuals from the 812,753 new applicants who had recently sought relief assistance from ‘Aswesuma’. The Cabinet had granted approval for the program, which was scheduled for distribution through Lanka Sathosa and Co-op outlets across the country between April 1 and April 13, in line with Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations.