State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe has announced that the second phase of the "Aswesuma" welfare benefits program will open applications in January 2024. The government plans to conduct a thorough review of the first phase before initiating the second phase, taking into account issues and suggestions that emerged during the initial implementation.

As of now, the "Aswesuma" payments for October have been disbursed to 1,406,930 beneficiaries, according to Semasinghe. The government aims to increase the number of beneficiaries to 2 million next year, selecting individuals most in need of welfare benefits. An allocation of Rs. 205 billion has been designated for "Aswesuma" payments in 2024. The comprehensive review and adjustments based on the first phase's experiences and feedback aim to enhance the effectiveness of the welfare program.