Indian aid distribution begins

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Food Commissioner's Department states that the distribution of aid, including rice and milk powder received under Indian Line of Credit to low income families has already commenced.

Food Commissioner, J.P. Krishnamurthy stated that distribution has already commenced in Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Mullaitivu, Ampara and other Districts.

Accordingly, she said the aid would be distributed to low income families in all 25 districts.

The Commissioner of Food also stated that it has been planned to provide parcels containing 10 kg of rice to each low income family selected at the Divisional Secretariat level.

However, she mentioned that the current fuel shortage has severely hampered the distribution of the aid among the districts. And due to this, the distribution of aid to districts is being carried out using the train, she said.

With the intervention of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Starlin to provide relief to the people in distress in the face of the economic crisis, Sri Lanka received this essential food and medicine stock worth around Rs. 2 billion.

The Food Commissioner stated that under the first phase, 9000 metric tons of rice is to be donated, while another 31,000 metric tons of rice is yet to be received by the country in the second phase.