The World Bank Board has approved a 75 million dollar credit from the International Development Association to support Sri Lanka’s main welfare programs by developing an integrated system to better manage the selection, administration, and payments to beneficiaries of the programs. 

The project will contribute to improving the equity, efficiency and transparency of the social safety net.

The Social Safety Nets Project, to be implemented by the Ministry of Finance, will assist the government to develop a single registry of citizens containing information on family structure and economic characteristics. 

The Welfare Benefits Board, set up to manage the selection and payment of welfare beneficiaries, will develop and apply new selection criteria based on data in the registry. 

This will make the identification process fairer and more transparent, and ensure that the benefits reach the intended households. The project will also strengthen the government’s capacity to monitor and improve welfare programs.