The President’s Fund has distributed educational equipment to selected university students, continuing its program to support higher education across the island.

At a ceremony held yesterday (18) at the Fund’s main office, 14 students chosen from applications submitted through Divisional Secretariats received laptop computers, with Rs. 5.8 million allocated for the initiative.

According to the President’s Office, the Fund has already provided equipment to about 30 students in 2025 and 2026, spending more than Rs. 9.8 million in total. (Newswire)

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The Board of Governors of the President’s Fund convened at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (10 Feb) under the chairmanship of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. 

According to the President’s Office, the Board of Governors comprises seven members: the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition, the Secretary to the President and two members appointed by the President. 

Present at the meeting today are Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne, Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President’s Fund and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, Professor J. R. P. Jayakody, former Auditor General Sarath Chandrasiri Mayadunne, along with senior officials of the President’s Fund. (Newswire)

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The President’s Fund has allocated over Rs. 1.9 billion to support schoolchildren in districts affected by Cyclone Ditwah, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

A total of Rs. 1,925,010,000 has been set aside to provide a Rs. 10,000 grant per student, with funds already transferred from District Secretaries to Divisional Secretaries for distribution.

This grant forms part of a broader government initiative to provide Rs. 25,000 per affected student — Rs. 15,000 from the General Treasury and Rs. 10,000 from the President’s Fund— to ensure the continuity of education.

Disbursements from the President’s Fund have been completed for students in the Ampara, Hambantota, Polonnaruwa, Monaragala, Mannar, and Vavuniya districts.

Remaining allocations are expected to be distributed soon, the PMD said. (Newswire)

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The government has decided to provide Rs. 25,000 for educational activities for each school child affected by floods and landslides.

The President’s Media Division stated that this amount has been decided to be provided from the President’s Fund. 

Schools were closed, and the 2025 GCE Advanced Level Examination was postponed halfway through due to the impact of Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

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The President’s Fund will provide Rs. 1 million each to the families of those who lost their lives in the bus accident that occurred on the Ella–Wellawaya main road last night, the President’s Media Division said.

The decision comes a day after the tragedy, in which a bus carrying passengers toppled into a precipice, leaving 15 people dead and several others injured.

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A ceremony to honour the top performers in the 2023/2024 G.C.E. Advanced Level examinations at the district level, sponsored by the President’s Fund, was held under the aegis of Speaker of Parliament Jagath Wickremaratne, at the Anuradhapura Central College recently (31 Aug). 

During the ceremony, 241 students from the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts who secured positions 1 to 10 across all six subject streams in the 2023 and 2024 A-Level examinations were awarded certificates and an incentive payment of Rs. 100,000 each. 

According to a Parliament statement, the total expenditure for this initiative by the President’s Fund was Rs. 24.1 million.

Senior Additional Secretary to the President and Secretary to the President’s Fund, Mr. Roshan Gamage, delivered the welcome address and outlined the objectives of the programme.

Delivering the keynote address, Speaker Jagath Wickremaratne stated that the President’s Fund is now fulfilling its true role by providing highly efficient and effective services for the people and expressed his great satisfaction regarding this initiative.

The event was also addressed by the Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation, Susil Ranasinghe and the Governor of the North Central Province, Wasantha Jinadasa. Members of Parliament, including Sena Nanayakkara, Bhagya Sri Herath, and Thilina Samarakoon, were among the guests in attendance.

Meanwhile, a special one-day training workshop was held on 30th August at the Anuradhapura District Secretariat for officers in charge of the subject from all Divisional Secretariat offices in the North Central Province. This is part of the initiative to decentralize the operations of the President’s Fund to the regional level.

The workshop aimed to educate the officers working on the President’s Fund matters in the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts. 

The programme is expected to increase the number of beneficiaries from the North Central Province, provide higher quality service to them and introduce updated online methodologies for the delivery of more expedient services through the relevant knowledge and training.

Senior Additional Secretary to the President and Secretary to the President’s Fund, Roshan Gamage, the Anuradhapura District Secretary, Ranjith Wimalasuriya and a group of senior officials from the President’s Fund were present on this occasion. (Newswire)

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Minister Anura Karunathilaka informed Parliament today that the sons and relatives of Presidents, ministers and Parliamentarians had benefited from the President’s Fund. 

Addressing the Parliament today, Minister Anura Karunathilaka said the Presidential Fund’s Scholarship had been used between 2005 to 2014.

It was disclosed in Parliament that the following persons of former MPs benefited from the President’s Fund;

• MP Harshana Rajakaruna – Son of former Gampaha District MP Sarath Chandra Rajakaruna
• I.N. Kodituwakku – Relative of former Colombo District MP Karunasena Kodituwakku in 2006
• V. Radhakrishnan – Relative of former National List MP V. Radhakrishnan in 2006
• Dinesh Dodangoda, through political affiliations in 2006
• K.K. Paranavithane in 2006

Minister Anura Karunathilaka revealed that the money for scholarships disbursed is as follows;

• Over Rs. 73 million in 2005
• Over Rs. 75 million in 2006
• Over Rs. 33 million for 42 individuals in 2007
• Over Rs. 11 million for 18 persons in 2008
• Over Rs. 03 million to four persons in 2009
• Over Rs. 03 million to three people in 2010
• Over Rs. 01 million to two individuals in 2011
• Over Rs. 03 million for 02 persons in 2012
• Over Rs. 400,000 to one person in 2014

Minister Anura Karunathilaka said that it has been proven that money from the President’s Fund had been used by children and relatives of Presidents, Ministers and MPs in the past. (Newswire)

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The Lanka Indian Oil Company (LIOC) has donated Rs. 100 million to the President’s Fund.

Managing director of LIOC Dipak Das presented the cheque to Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, secretary to the president, at the Presidential Secretariat.

According to the President’s Media Division, the donation is in addition to LIOC’s ongoing support for the education, health, and cultural sectors in Sri Lanka.

Roshan Gamage, senior additional secretary to the president, and representatives from LIOC also attended the event. (Newswire)

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The President’s Office says, following the decentralisation of the activities of the President’s Fund to District Secretariat offices, there has been a notable increase in the number of medical assistance applications received. 

Issuing a statement, the PMD said that consequently, it has become essential to familiarise relevant staff at these offices with the newly introduced computerised online system and to provide them with the necessary training. 

As part of this initiative, a training programme has been organised at the Kilinochchi District Secretariat on 21 June 2025. 

This session is intended for District Secretaries and subject officers handling matters related to the President’s Fund in the districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya in the Northern Province. 

The primary objective of the programme is to enhance the knowledge and skills of the officials, thereby increasing the number of beneficiaries in the Northern Province, delivering higher quality services, introducing the updated online system and ensuring more efficient and responsive service delivery. 

The PMD revealed that a key priority of the current President and the administration is to transform the President’s Fund, which was previously limited to a small group of recipients in Colombo, into a truly national initiative that benefits people throughout the country. 

In line with this vision, similar training programmes are expected to be implemented in other provinces in the near future. (Newswire)

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Government Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa has clarified that the statement, made in Parliament months ago, was not aimed at singling out the late actress Malini Fonseka, but was part of a broader disclosure on the Rs. 1.22 billion allocated from the President’s Fund to various politicians.

Speaking at the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing, Minister Jayatissa said he had only submitted a report on the funds that had been allocated to politicians, and not artists. 

“MPs such as Keheliya Rambukwella, Rajitha Senaratne, D.M. Jayaratne, and Dayasiri Jayasekara were among those who had received significant allocations. I merely presented the facts in Parliament on politicians who received funds,” he said.

However, following the death of the legendary actress, social media users began circulating the old remarks, implying it was a reference to Fonseka, who had reportedly received Rs. 5.5 million from the President’s Fund during her lifetime.

Responding to the criticism, Minister Jayatissa said his statement was misinterpreted and stressed that there was no reference to the late Malini Fonseka, who is widely respected for her contributions to Sri Lankan cinema.

The final rites of Veteran Sri Lankan actress Malini Fonseka, who also served as a national list MP from 2010 to 2015 under the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration, were held at the Independence Square under state honours. 

Commenting on the funeral, Minister Jayatissa added that the final decision was made in consultation with her family and reflected their wishes. (Newswire)

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The government has decided to provide financial assistance as an encouragement to ensure the uninterrupted education of children from families affected by daily incidents of elephant intrusions into their villages.

The decision was taken by the Board of Governors of the President’s Fund, which convened under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Disanayake, with the support being extended to families affected by elephant intrusions on or after January 1, 2025. 

Under this initiative, selected students from Grade 1 to Grade 11 will receive a monthly allowance of Rs. 3,000 for a maximum period of 12 months, while selected students in Grades 12 and 13 will receive Rs. 5,000 per month for the same duration. The financial assistance is expected to be disbursed starting from today, April 1, 2025.

Priority will be given to families who have lost a member or have individuals injured due to elephant intrusions. Additionally, children from families that have suffered property or crop damage as a result of such incidents will also be eligible to apply for this assistance.

Eligibility for this financial assistance will be determined based on the observations of the respective Divisional Secretaries. Families must have children pursuing education from Grade 1 up to the G.C.E. Ordinary Level or Advanced Level to qualify.

However, children who are already beneficiaries of the G.C.E. Advanced Level scholarship programme currently implemented under the President’s Fund will not be eligible for this assistance.

Accordingly, all Divisional Secretaries have been informed to collect details of eligible children within their divisions, conduct personal assessments and submit the relevant applications, along with their recommendations, to the Secretary of the President’s Fund without delay. (Newswire)

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The President’s Fund will be relocated to new premises from 01 January 2025, the President’s Media Division (PMD) announced today.

The President’s Fund currently located on the third floor of the Lake House Building at D.R. Wijewardena Mawatha, Colombo 10, will be moved to the ground floor of the Standard Chartered Building, situated at Colombo 01, opposite the President’s House on Janadhipathi Mawatha. 

From 01 January 2025, members of the public seeking services from the Presidential Fund have been advised to visit the new office. (Newswire)

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A special police investigation has been launched to determine whether there has been any misuse of the Presidential Fund.

Acting Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasuriya has instructed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to carry out the inquiry, Mawbima newspaper reported.

The investigation follows a complaint submitted to Police Headquarters, requesting an inquiry into individuals accused of misusing the Presidential Fund.

During a recent parliamentary session, it was revealed that 34 former Members of Parliament received millions of rupees from the Presidential Fund between 2005 and 2024, for purposes outside its primary objectives.

The misuse was estimated to exceed Rs. 12.25 billion. (Newswire)

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Former Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara has denied allegations that he misused public funds by obtaining money from the President’s Fund, clarifying that the funds were used for a medical emergency.

In a statement, Nanayakkara explained that he received Rs. 500,000 from the President’s Fund in 2014 to cover a stent surgery following a heart condition.

He noted that, despite using personal income and contributions from family members, he still fell short of Rs. 500,000 and sought assistance from the fund.

Nanayakkara criticized Minister Nalinda Jayathissa, who had disclosed a list of politicians who had accessed the President’s Fund, accusing him of deliberately omitting the specific amount Nanayakkara received.

He alleged that this omission was intended to mislead the public into believing he had borrowed a large sum, as some other politicians had.

Nanayakkara explaining further, said that as a dedicated politician who resigned from a legal career in 1980 to serve the public, he considered it reasonable to request such assistance rather than seeking help from wealthy individuals.

He also explained that the surgery, performed at Asiri Surgical Hospital on his doctor’s recommendation, was an urgent procedure for which his political party could not arrange funds on short notice. (Newswire)

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Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has clarified in a statement that during his tenure from 2022 to September 2024 all private requests for medical assistance from public representatives were handled under the standard administrative procedures of the Presidential Fund.

Except for one case, no individual received financial aid exceeding Rs. 1 million, the former President said.

Several notable disbursements made during this period were detailed in the statement.

*Rs. 1 million for a heart surgery for former Western Province Chief Minister E.A. Isura Devapriya Perera at Nawaloka Hospital

*Rs. 500,000 for a heart surgery for former MP U. Sarath Kongahage at Lanka Hospitals.

*Rs. 400,000 for former MP S.C. Muthukumarana to purchase hearing aids from Vision Care.

*Rs. 1 million for a heart surgery for former MP S.A. Jagath Kumara at Asiri Hospital.

Meanwhile, veteran actress Malini Fonseka was provided Rs. 5 million through the Sri Lankan Consulate General in Chennai for treatment at Apollo Hospital in India, the statement said.

Wickremesinghe said that this support was extended in recognition of Fonseka’s exceptional contributions to the local arts and cinema industry. He added that several other artists have received similar assistance over the past two years.

Wickremesinghe further noted that over the last two years, the Presidential Fund has disbursed substantial financial aid exceeding Rs. 100 million for medical treatments.

This included support for patients, applicants, and children requiring critical care. (Newswire)

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Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekera has called out Government Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa for claiming that he was among politicians who had benefitted from the President’s Fund between 2005 and 2024.  

Addressing the media today, MP Jayasekera said that anyone can apply and obtain funds from the President’s Fund, including the public and politicians. 

He further clarified that he had received close to Rs. 400,000 from the President’s Fund for a heart surgery he underwent in 2019 and that then-President Maithripala Sirisena had approved the financial aid. 

Presenting bills of his heart surgery at the Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital, he said he had been admitted due to a heart attack in 2019 and had been hospitalised for a period of four days. 

Stating that only a portion of the bill had been settled by the President’s Fund, MP Jayasekera said that he had settled the remainder out of his personal funds. 

MP Dayasiri Jayasekera further urged Minister Nalinda Jayatissa to refrain from making inaccurate claims and to halt mud-slinging campaigns against various politicians, using the President’s Fund. 

He also said that if politicians obtaining money from the President’s Fund was wrong, then the government should initiate the necessary amendments to the regulations concerning the Fund. 

His comments come after Minister Nalinda Jayatissa revealed in Parliament last week the details of payments allocated to politicians from the President’s Fund between 2005 and 2024.

While noting that some of these funds were requested on medical grounds, the Minister questioned the purposes for which such large amounts had been drawn by politicians.

Watch : https://shorturl.at/4mkak (Newswire)

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Former MP Manoj Sirisena says he made a verbal and written clarification from the President’s Fund yesterday, about the recent statement made in Parliament by Minister Nalinda Jayatissa mentioning his name related to the misuse of funds from the President’s Fund. 

Issuing a statement, the former MP said that on March 9, 2009, while participating in an event held in Akuressa he was seriously injured in a suicide bomb. 

He revealed that on 21st March, he was treated at the Colombo National Hospital and underwent eye, ear and abdominal surgery, while he had also suffered an eardrum eruption. 

Former MP Manoj Sirisena further revealed that he had spent Rs 4.5 million from his personal wealth for local and foreign treatments.

He went on to note that Government Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa had informed the Parliament that the President’s Fund had allocated Rs. 300,000 for the former MP in 2011 taking into consideration the incident. 

However, Manoj Sirisena claimed that Minister Nalinda Jayatissa had made the claim without verifying whether he had taken the money.

Stating that misusing national wealth is a serious offence and fraud, Manoj Sirisena said a minister must be careful about the statements made under parliamentary privilege.

The former MP pointed out that he had only after the recent Parliament revelation learned that he had been allocated the money, but had not received it. 

He further said that under such circumstances, his name must be removed from the list of persons who are said to have received funds from the President’s Fund, as claimed by Minister Jayatissa. 

Manoj Sirisena also requested Minister Nalinda Jayatissa to correct his statement and rectify the damage caused due to his action. (Newswire)

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Scholarship instalments for August 2024, under the President’s Fund Scholarship Programme, have been directly credited to the bank accounts of eligible recipients today (Aug 01), the President’s Media Division (PMD) announced. 

According to the PMD, an SMS has been sent to all scholarship recipients notifying them of the transfer, while over Rs. 5 billion will be disbursed to approximately 116,000 students under these scholarship programmes.

As such, the 17th instalment of the monthly scholarship of Rs. 6,000 for 3,000 students who passed the 2022/2023 O-Level examination and are preparing for the A-Level examination has been credited. 

Additionally, the 6th instalment of the same amount for another 6,000 students who passed the 2023/2024 O-Level examinations and are preparing for the A-Level examination has also been deposited.

The 5th instalment of Rs. 3,000 per month for 100,000 students in Grades 1 to 11 has also been transferred, as well as the 4th instalment of Rs. 6,000 per month for 500 students studying at Pirivenas and Seela Matha educational institutions, who are either preparing for the Pracheena exams or the A-Level exams. 

Furthermore, the 4th instalment of Rs. 3,000 per month for 3,000 students in Grades 1 to 11 at these institutions has also been credited.

Efforts are underway to ensure that payments are made to students who are qualified but whose applications were delayed, and the outstanding instalments for August 2024 will be included in the upcoming payments.

The PMD further said any students who have not yet received their scholarships due to application delays or banking issues will receive their payments during August 2024. 

Detailed information will be available on the official Facebook page of the President’s Fund at www.facebook.com/president.fund. (Newswire)

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The President’s Fund scholarship program for students from low-income families, spanning from grade 1 to grade 11 and GCE Advanced Level, will be implemented at the district level starting from Friday, July 12, 2024. 

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), district secretaries, in collaboration with all zonal education offices and school principals, will oversee the scholarship distribution process.

Details regarding the dates, times and venues for scholarship awards in each district, as well as the list of selected scholarship recipients, will be announced, with the information being published on the official Facebook page of the President’s Fund in the coming days.

The list of students selected for the scholarships for the G.C.E. (A/L) scholarship scheme in each district has already been published on the official Facebook page of the President’s Fund at the regional level. 

These scholarships will be awarded to 6,000 students, with 60 students selected from each educational zone. Each recipient will receive Rs. 6,000 per month for a duration of 24 months.

At the scholarship award ceremony, selected students will receive a grant of Rs. 30,000 along with any outstanding instalments. Starting from next month, Rs. 6,000 will be provided to students monthly until they appear for their G.C.E. (A/L) examinations.

Additionally, the scholarship program will be implemented covering all 10,126 schools across the island, from grade 1 to grade 11, for a duration of 12 months.

Each selected student will receive Rs. 3,000 per month, totalling Rs. 36,000 over the year. The arrears for the selected students will amount to Rs. 12,000, which will also be provided at the scholarship award ceremony. Starting from the following month, the scholarship will continue to be paid Rs. 3,000 per month.

Accordingly, the President’s Fund invites the public to follow/like its official Facebook page to stay updated on the scholarship programs being awarded at the district level. This will ensure the public receives timely information about these important initiatives. (Newswire)

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The newly launched website for the President’s Fund was inaugurated at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on Tuesday (Feb 13).

The inauguration of the new website (https://www.presidentsfund.gov.lk) was officiated by the President’s Secretary, Saman Ekanayake.

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), this milestone grants the public access to updated information regarding the services offered by the President’s Fund.

Accessible in all three languages, the website also provides the option to download the application for medical assistance.

Present at the event were Senior Additional Secretary to the President and Secretary to the President’s Fund, Sarath Kumar, Deputy Director of the President’s Fund, Gayan Moraliyage, and Assistant Director of the President’s Fund W.D.M. Botheju. (NewsWire)

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