President urges fast tracking of rebuilding of disaster hit areas

• Allocates Rs. 5 b from TRC for reconstruction of houses
• Rs. 7,500 monthly for three months as rental for temporary shelter

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday gave instructions to relevant officials to expedite the program to build new houses for the people affected by recent floods. 

Furthermore, the President allocated Rs.5 billion from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, which is under his purview to be donated to this program. 

Cabinet approval was received to pay a monthly rental of Rs. 7,500 for three months for the families whose houses were fully destroyed, to live elsewhere until their houses were rebuilt.

The President gave these instructions while participating in a progress review meeting of post-disaster management, held at the Presidential Secretariat.

The District Secretaries of the affected areas including Ratnapura, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Gampaha and Colombo participated at this meeting and expressed their views in detail regarding the relief measures carried out in the respective districts. 

Presently, the Government is in the process of getting valuation reports on damaged properties and institutions as well as identifying suitable lands to resettle the people and the President instructed the officials to expedite these tasks. He also said the officials if there is any shortage of Valuation officers to inform the relevant authorities and there is a possibility of getting them through the line ministries and the Ministry of Local Government.

The President inquired about the programs carried out to renovate the schools and to restore the education of the children, and instructed the officials to give priority to reconstruct schools, hospitals and houses in the process of the infrastructure development. 

President Sirisena also emphasized that the distribution of foreign aids received to assist the victims should be done in a comprehensive and transparent manner and said that people should be aware that how these donations were distributed among them and pointed out the importance of maintaining a report in this regard by the Ministry of Disaster Management. 

During this meeting, it was discussed in detail regarding giving a compensation for the cultivated lands and small-scale enterprises, restoration of infrastructure facilities including electricity, drinking water, roads, waste management, protecting the health of the public and preparing a plan at regional levels for the Disaster Management.     

Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe, Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Vajira Abeywardena, Susil Premajayanth, Mangala Samaraweera, Ravi Karunanayake, Rajitha Senarathne, Sajith Premadasa, Sagala Rathnayake, Gayantha Karunathilake, Daya Gamage, Thalatha Athukorala, Chandima Weerakkody, Faizer Mustafa, Ministry Secretaries, including Secretary to the President,  public servants, Tri-Forces Commanders, IGP and senior security officers participated on this meeting.