Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2013-01-24

Housing Support & Reintegration Programme for Migrant Workers (Ratawiruwo)

- the following joint proposals made by Hon. Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic Development; and Hon. Dilan Perera, Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare for the benefit of migrant workers, were approved by the Cabinet:
* to design and implement a joint support housing programme and reintegration programme for migrant workers;
* for the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) to place a fix deposit of Rs.100 million from its own funds, with the Samurdhi Bank;
* Samurdhi Bank to provide housing loans to migrant workers identified by SLBFE to cover the cost of construction of houses over Rs.50,000/- up to a maximum of Rs.300,000/-; and
* Samurdhi Bank and Rural Development Bank to provide loans up to Rs.250,000/- for small and medium industries for returnee migrant workers identified by the SLBFE.