President Sirisena has issued instructions to increase the monthly allowance of Rs. 3000 paid to kidney patients, to Rs. 5000.

On Wednesday, the president appointed new secretaries to ten ministries.

The newly-appointed ministry secretaries received their letters of appointment at the president’s official residence.

The newly appointed Secretaries are:

• Secretary to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation – G. S. Vithanage

• Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine – Udaya Seneviratne

• Secretary to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development – Upali Marasinghe

• Secretary to the Ministry of Plantations – G. A. Ranjith

• Secretary to the Ministry of Science and Technology – Shirani Weerakoon

• Secretary to the Ministry of Labour, Trade Union Relations and Sabaragamuwa Development – S. A. N. Sarantissa

• Secretary to the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resource Management – Jayantha Wijeratne

• Secretary to the Ministry of Regional Development – A. P. G. Kithsiri

• Secretary to the Ministry of Development Activities – L. D. Senanayake

• Secretary to the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment – Anura Dissanayake

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