Politics

The Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, S. Aloka Bandara, announced today (30) that the distribution of relief aid and compensation for those impacted by Cyclone Ditwah is nearing completion. A total of 434,375 housing units have been recognized as qualifying for the Rs. 25,000 payment designated for cleaning homes affected by the cyclone. Compensation has already been issued to 423,914 of these units. Additionally, 163,509 housing units have been marked for the Rs. 50,000 payment aimed at replacing furniture and equipment damaged in the storm, with 115,757 units already receiving this assistance. Mr. Bandara also mentioned that guidelines have been set to provide Rs. 15,000 to students who suffered due to the disaster. So far, 195,157 students have been identified, and payments have been made to 141,382 of them. He stated that District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries are verifying the compensation payments and ensuring that affected individuals are accurately identified. He remarked that complaints about delays lack justification, noting that the process is complicated and requires thorough checks. The Ministry Secretary further highlighted the need for cooperation from all parties to finalize the compensation payments promptly.