Colombo: President Anura Kumara Dissanayake chaired a meeting of the Board of Governors of the President’s Fund at the Presidential Secretariat, focusing on crucial initiatives such as increasing medical assistance, expanding educational scholarships, and reducing surgical waiting lists.

According to News.LK, the Board of Governors consists of seven members, including the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Secretary to the President, along with two members appointed by the President. During the meeting, several key decisions were made to improve the Fund’s offerings.

The Board resolved to revise and enhance the medical assistance grants, easing the criteria for obtaining such assistance. Patients at any hospital registered under the Ministry of Health can now receive medical aid based on recommendations from a registered medical practitioner. Additionally, university students with special needs will receive a one-time grant of Rs. 100,000 to assist with their educational expenses.

The Board also agreed to double the number of scholarships awarded to outstanding GCE Advanced Level performers, increasing the tally from 10 to 20 per district. Efforts to reduce long surgical waiting lists for heart and cataract surgeries in government hospitals were discussed, with plans to streamline these processes through the President’s Fund.

In response to Cyclone ‘Ditwah’, the Fund has started providing a Rs. 10,000 grant to schoolchildren from affected families, benefiting over 54,000 students. Further discussions explored increasing educational support for children affected by disasters, families of kidney patients, and those in high-risk jobs.

Transparency and accountability were emphasized, with the financial position of the President’s Fund reaching an all-time high. Instructions were given to publish detailed beneficiary data online. The Mahapola Scholarship Scheme payments were significantly increased last year, and additional expansions are planned for 2025 to benefit more recipients.

The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya, Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne, Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, and other senior officials.