Over 2,000 displaced families to get Govt. financial assistance

Over 2,000 displaced Tamil families in the conflict-affected north and east of Sri Lanka will receive financial assistance from the government, a senior Government official said.

Cabinet has approved a proposal made by the Minister of Resettlement, Reconstruction and Hindu Religious Affairs D.M. Swaminathan to obtain allocations of Rs. 160 million to provide facilities to resettle approximately 2,175 internally displaced families in Jaffna and Trincomalee Districts in the north and east.

According to a Ministry official, each resettled family has been allocated a financial assistance of Rs. 38,000. Out of this Rs. 25,000 is set apart for resettlement allowance and the remaining Rs. 13,000 for purposes such as clearing land and purchase of tools.

Under the program, 204 families in Sampur, Trincomalee District of the Eastern Province, and 1,971 families in Jaffna of the Northern Province will get the assistance initially. The payment will be made on verification of claims by district-level, The Hindu reported.

The Government said its policy is to resettle all internally-displaced persons in their original habitats. (Colombopage)