President Maithripala Sirisena has given instructions to the officials to provide an allowance of Rs.10,000 per month for all agricultural family who are affected by the prevailing dry weather condition over the island.
The President further instructed to appoint a Committee comprising District Secretaries, Grama Niladharis and Samurdhi Officials to collect comprehensive information on affected families and after getting the relevant information this allowance will be given from next month to beginning of the Yala season.
He has given these instructions during a meeting with the relevant Heads of the Departments, to review the effects of drought on the farming sector in the country, at the President’s Officials Residence, on Thursday (16th Feb.).
A large number of complaints have been received from the public regarding the land reclamation, the President said that adding that the officials should take prompt actions in this regard and emphasized that the officials who cannot fulfill their duties in a proper manner should resign from their respective posts.
All preparations have been made to provide rice subsidy to the drought affected families in the near future and the President requested officials to fulfill their duties in this regard in a proper manner to distribute this rice subsidy equally, focusing their attention to accurate statistics.
President Sirisena emphasized that it is essential to pay attention to water quality standards when providing water to the people for their drinking and other purposes. The President apprised the officials to use buses to transport people when they travel far away for bathing.
The President instructed the officials to set up an emergency power generating machines in areas like Pallekele, Hambantota, Kurunegala and Galle as an alternative to the future power crisis and pointed out the importance of educating the public through the media and the internet regarding the economical electricity consumption. The President said that the Treasury will be provided the necessary financing for the continuous supply of electricity.
Attention has been drawn to repair tube wells in the rural areas, development of the agricultural wells, growing of paddy seeds in abandoned paddy fields in the wet zones with the assistance of the local government authorities.
Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Rajitha Senaratne, Ravi Karunanayake, Ranjith Siyabalapitiya, Duminda Disanayake, Faizer Mustapha, Ministry Secretaries including Secretary to the President, P.B. Abeykoon and other section heads also participated.