Govt. allocates Rs. 1.5 b for dry rations for drought-affected

The Treasury has released Rs. 1.5 billion to district secretaries through the Ministry of Disaster Management for the purpose of distributing dry rations to people affected by the drought.

The President’s Office said Rs. 1.43 billion of the Rs. 1.5 billion provision has already been allocated for the relevant tasks while the process of distributing dry rations to people in the Puttalam, Kurunegala, Kilinochchi, Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Anuradhapura, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Monaragala districts has already commenced.

The district secretaries say dry rations will be swiftly issued to people in the Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Ampara, Badulla, Hambantota, Vavuniya and Mannar districts.

Dry rations will be issued to select farmers by district secretaries and divisional secretaries through co-operative societies.

These dry food rations will be issued according to the instructions given by President Maithripala Sirisena during his recent visit to Kebithigollewa to inquire into the issues faced by drought-affected people. A number of programs are being implemented to provide welfare to the people, including for their drinking water requirements. The number of families that have been affected by drought in 15 districts is nearly 500,000. This number will be increased to 600,000 if there is not any rainfall in the near future.

The district secretaries have reported that although there has been considerable rainfall in several districts this is not enough to end the drought. It is being reported that the drought has increased in districts in the Northern, Eastern, North Central and Wayamba provinces.

The relief provisions will continue for two more months and it will be further extended if there is no rainfall. Plans have been made to provide the required funds in this regard under the President’s directive.

The President has given instructions to relevant parties to maintain better coordination with the relevant district secretaries and divisional secretaries through the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding these tasks and to request a progress report from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Disaster Management once a week.

 He also instructed to obtain a report regarding the performance of the divisional secretaries through the Army Commander.