President assures funding capacity for post-Ditwah recovery

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake 

• Says State has financial room to begin rebuilding immediately
• Rs. 30 b already available for urgent expenditure; further funds to be raised through new national recovery fund
• Emergency regulations enable accelerated reconstruction and sector-wide restoration
• International partners, private sector and overseas Sri Lankans ready to contribute to recovery effort

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday addressed the nation on the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, giving the clearest assurance so far that the Government has the financial capacity and institutional framework to rebuild damaged infrastructure and restore essential services despite the scale of the destruction.

In his statement, the President said Sri Lanka is facing “the largest and most challenging natural disaster in our history” and that the country’s response requires “the most difficult rescue operation in our nation’s history.” He added that although the island had been shaken by the disaster, “the humanity and resilience of our people cannot, in any way, be shaken.”

He said the loss of life was irreplaceable, noting that every individual who died “carried a name, a face, and a story,” and extended sympathy to the affected families.

The President said the State’s first responsibility had been to save lives, mobilising the entire public sector, the Armed Forces, and the Police. “From our Ministry Secretaries to Grama Niladharis at the local level, the entire State machinery has been fully engaged in rescuing affected people,” he said. He acknowledged the work of volunteers and thanked neighbouring and friendly countries for their assistance, including the deployment of relief teams.

Turning to the reconstruction effort, the President stressed that the Government has already unlocked significant fiscal space to begin recovery work without delay. “From previous Budget allocations, approximately Rs. 30 billion is available for immediate expenditure without Parliamentary approval. These funds have been designated specifically for this purpose,” he said. District Secretaries have been asked to provide estimates so that the available funds are allocated effectively.

He said financial ceilings on officials have been relaxed to speed up relief, noting that Divisional Secretaries are now permitted to spend up to Rs. 50 million directly for emergency purposes. “This ensures legal and operational capacity to implement relief efficiently,” he said.

The President added that if allocations in the 2025 Budget prove insufficient, the Government will move supplementary estimates through Parliament. “We are confident that this will allow us to meet the food, health, and sanitation needs of the displaced population,” he said.

He said essential infrastructure, including electricity, water supply, communications, and access roads, had suffered serious damage and that operational teams across all sectors had been mobilised. Personnel from unaffected regions have been redeployed to accelerate restoration.

Ministries and agencies have been instructed to prioritise essential services above all other responsibilities. “Therefore, I am confident that, within a very short period, we will be able to fully restore these infrastructures and services,” he said.

The President said the Government has brought emergency regulations into force to provide legal and financial safeguards for rapid reconstruction. A Commissioner General of Essential Services has been appointed, with essential services offices operating round the clock. “Key officials in all major institutions are working round the clock, ensuring an effective centralised response,” he said.

A new national recovery fund is being established to mobilise larger resources for the rebuilding effort. The fund will be overseen by a joint management committee comprising representatives of the private sector, the Foreign Affairs and Finance Ministries, and the Presidential Secretariat. 

“We can mobilise a substantial amount of funds required to rebuild our country,” the President said, adding that the Government is in close engagement with friendly nations, international organisations, domestic businesses, and the Sri Lankan communities overseas.

He said that key Ministries, including Irrigation and Agriculture, have already submitted assessments of damage and funding requirements for restoration. “We have communicated these requirements for all such sectors,” he said, asking institutions to submit reconstruction plans swiftly.

The President closed his address with an appeal for national unity during the recovery phase.

“At this decisive and calamitous moment, let us set aside all political differences for the sake of the country. Let us unite, free from distinctions of ethnicity, religion, party, or colour,” he said.

He expressed confidence in citizens, public servants, the Armed Forces, the private sector, innovators, and Sri Lankans abroad, asserting that “this country can be rebuilt” and that the Government is ready “to face this challenge even if we start from scratch.”