Saturday Nov 29, 2025
Saturday Nov 29, 2025
Saturday, 29 November 2025 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
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| Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma |
Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma yesterday detailed the Government’s financial interventions and operational facilitation measures introduced to accelerate emergency response and relief efforts amid the country’s disaster situation.
He said the Finance Ministry had stepped in ahead of time to ensure uninterrupted funding for rescue and relief operations, supplementing the Rs. 500 million already allocated for rescue efforts and the Rs. 1 billion set aside to support affected property and businesses.
An additional Rs. 500 million was released to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) in recent days, while Rs. 220 million has already been deposited into District Secretaries’ accounts to enable immediate withdrawals based on local needs.
To fast-track relief delivery, he said the Ministry, working with the National Procurement Commission, has issued a special circular allowing divisional secretariats to bypass standard procurement procedures and directly procure goods and services up to Rs. 50 million during the emergency.
“If further funds or facilitation are required, Divisional Secretariats have been instructed to contact the Finance Ministry directly using the details provided in the circular,” he stressed.
Dr. Suriyapperuma added that the private sector has also stepped forward, with Chambers informing the Ministry of their readiness to support Government-led relief efforts.
In addition, multilateral agencies operating in Sri Lanka have likewise reached out and are preparing to provide financing facilities, in-kind assistance, medicine, food supplies and other essential aid, with detailed commitments expected shortly.
He also said State banks have been placed on alert to ensure uninterrupted financial access for district and divisional administrations.
“The Bank of Ceylon will keep at least one branch in operation in every district, including tomorrow, to facilitate urgent withdrawals. The bank has also readied 10 mobile banking units to deploy where required for on-site cash assistance,” he said.
Responding to communication challenges in disaster-hit regions, the Finance Ministry has secured seven satellite phones, three donated by a private company, three by the World Bank and one by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). “These will be distributed to critical areas where power outages and infrastructure failures have hampered coordination,” he added.
Dr. Suriyapperuma thanked all domestic and international partners for their support, adding that the Finance Ministry and all relevant State agencies remain on standby to respond to emerging needs.
“This is a painful moment for all of us. But we are ready to extend support wherever and whenever possible,” he assured.
