President Extends House Rent Allowance for ‘Dithva’ Disaster Victims by Three More Months
Anura Kumara Dissanayake has announced that the house rent allowance currently being provided to people affected by the “Dithva” disaster will be extended for an additional three months.
Speaking at a special coordination committee meeting held in the Kandy District, the President instructed officials to expedite the resettlement process for families in the district who lost their homes due to the disaster.
He also advised government officials to use fuel sparingly, noting that more than 550 million US dollars would be spent on fuel imports during the month of May.
The special coordination committee meeting, chaired by the President at the Kandy District Secretariat yesterday (12), focused on reviewing the progress of resettlement efforts for those displaced by the “Dithva” disaster.
During the meeting, the President inquired about the process of releasing lands for resettlement at divisional secretariat level.
Addressing the officials, the President stated:
“Complete the resettlement work as quickly as possible. I am extending the house rent allowance for another three months. Finish these activities within that period. I will resolve the issue related to price fluctuations by Monday. We will adjust fuel prices based on the March 1 pricing formula. Give me a little time to resolve the matter. Fuel consumption must be reduced to some extent. More than 550 million US dollars will be spent on fuel in May, whereas the expenditure in February was below 200 million dollars. Please give some time, and I will issue the relevant circular. We also had to temporarily halt vehicle purchases. I will provide the necessary vehicles before the end of this year. I understand that this is a complicated issue. Even with financial support, building a house is not easy. Let us work together to complete this successfully.”
