The inaugural programme of the educational scholarship scheme to be provided by the President’s Fund from 2026 for children of low-income lottery sales assistants was held today (23) at the North Central Provincial Council Auditorium in Anuradhapura, under the patronage of Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne.
The programme has been introduced as a gesture of appreciation to lottery sales assistants in recognition of their financial contribution to the President’s Fund through lottery sales. The scholarship programme is being implemented for children receiving school education from Grade One to the GCE Advanced Level, covering all provinces of the country.
Scholarships were awarded today to 65 children of lottery sales assistants engaged in lottery sales in the North Central Province.
Speaking at the event, Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne emphasised that every rupee received by the President’s Fund today benefits the people who are in need of its assistance.
The Speaker noted that, during the six-month period from 1 January to 30 June 2026, the network of 22,000 Development Lottery sales agents had made a substantial financial contribution of Rs. 5,112 million to the President’s Fund. He said the occasion marked an opportunity for lottery sellers, who had not previously recognised their own strength, to demonstrate that strength to the country, and expressed his gratitude to all of them for their contribution.
Speaking further, Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne said:
“When applications were called for this scholarship programme, the highest number of applications came from the North Central Province. Today, scholarships are being awarded to 65 of those selected. However, I must emphasise that the implementation of this programme and other scholarship programmes in the North Central Province will not end here.
The President’s Fund, which has a 50-year history, truly became a fund belonging to the people only from last year. Today, it has been decentralised to the Divisional Secretariat level alongside its digitalisation. The President’s Fund is no longer a distant institution confined to Colombo. It has been transformed into a truly people-friendly service that the public can easily access through the Grama Niladhari and Divisional Secretariat offices.
I invite everyone to work together, caring for and supporting one another, as part of the national mission to transform Sri Lanka into one of the fastest-developing countries in the world.”
Minister of Housing Construction and Water Supply Dr Susil Ranasinghe said:
“When we consider the Anuradhapura District and many other districts, a large proportion of their people have grown up in rural environments. Education is the main avenue available for their children to move forward. As a government, we have a vision of providing these children with opportunities to move forward through an education system that is modern and suited to the future world.
Children in villages, in particular, need support to conquer the world. All of us have managed to succeed in life with some form of support. Therefore, today’s scholarships provide these children with that support and open up a pathway for them to move forward.
One of our government’s key objectives is to eradicate rural poverty. To eradicate rural poverty, we must provide these children with a good education. I therefore believe that this programme will provide hundreds of thousands of children with an opportunity to step beyond the circumstances into which they were born and conquer the world.
What we also hope to achieve through the new education reforms is to develop children’s educational skills and abilities, produce them as competent professionals and entrepreneurs suited to the world, and thereby eradicate rural poverty.”
Secretary of the President’s Fund and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage said:
“The President’s Fund is currently carrying out a significant amount of work for the people of this country. Therefore, the President’s Fund is now truly a fund belonging to the people. Every rupee of this fund is spent for the people.
Today, we are introducing another such new programme. The President’s Fund receives money from those engaged in selling lotteries. They often say, ‘You win, the country wins.’ However, lottery sellers themselves have not won during the past period. Therefore, the governing body, headed by the President, decided that the children of lottery sellers should also be provided with educational scholarships from the President’s Fund.
This programme is an ongoing initiative that will continue in the future. As the highest number of applications for this programme came from the North Central Province, we brought the inaugural programme to Anuradhapura.”
Anuradhapura District Members of Parliament Sena Nanayakkara and P.D.N.K. Paliheena, North Central Province Chief Secretary J.M.R.P. Jayasinghe, President’s Fund governing body member J.R.P. Jayakody, Development Lotteries Board Chairman/Chief Executive Officer M.R.H. Swarnathilaka, National Lotteries Board Chairman M.D. Cyril Anthony Perera, government officials of the province, the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police of the North Central Province and heads of the security forces were among those present at the event.
