Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2016-10-04

Provision of relief to persons affected by recent disasters - Progress as at 2016-08-31

- The Cabinet noted the following information submitted by Hon. Anura Priyadharashan Yapa, the Minister of Disaster Management, relating to the progress achieved by the end of August 2016, on the provision of relief to persons affected by the explosion that occurred on 2016-06-05 at the Salawa Army Camp located in Seethawaka Divisional Secretariat Division of the Colombo District, provision of relief to persons affected by the landslides which occurred as a result of heavy rains in the Kegalle District between 10th to 17th of May 2016 and the provision of relief for those who were affected due to floods and landslides that occurred in May 2016:

* Provision of Rs.422.85 million has already been issued to District Secretariat, Colombo, for the provision of relief to people affected by the explosion that occurred at the Army Camp located at Salawa, and the said provisions have been spent to provide monthly allowances for persons with damaged houses until they return to their houses, to grant allowances to those affected who were self-employed and for the payment of compensation for the damaged houses.

* Provisions have been given to the District Secretariat Kegalle, at various instances, to provide relief to 34,653 people of 9,588 families in the said district, who were affected due to landslides which occurred as a result of heavy rains in the Kegalle District between 10th to 17th of May 2016 and action is being taken to construct 145 houses, for the families recommended to be resettled due to high-risk, with the contribution of the private sector.

* Measures have been taken to provide Rs. 586.79 million under the National Insurance Programme for natural disasters, Rs.149.02 million under the National Insurance Programme and Rs. 111.21 million under the treasury provisions for the provision of relief to 586,731 persons of 142,942 families affected due to disasters of floods and landslides that occurred in May 2016.