President's Major Disaster Relief Package | Grants For Housing, Businesses

COLOMBO (News 1st); Addressing Parliament today (5), the President unveiled a sweeping series of relief measures aimed at rebuilding lives and livelihoods devastated by recent disasters:

Rs. 50,000 grant for purchasing essential household items for homes destroyed, paid once per household regardless of ownership.

Rs. 25,000 monthly allowance for three months for families leaving evacuation centers to rent alternative housing.

Rs. 200,000 grant to restart registered livestock farms destroyed by the disaster.

Rs. 400,000 compensation for each registered fishing boat completely damaged.

Rs. 5 million grant to construct a new house for fully destroyed homes.

Rs. 5 million grant for land acquisition to rebuild homes lost to disaster.

Rs. 150,000 per hectare for replanting paddy and other grains affected.

Up to Rs. 2.5 million for repairing partially damaged houses.

Rs. 5 million grant to restart businesses impacted by the disaster.

Rs. 15,000 from the Treasury and Rs. 10,000 from the President’s Fund for affected students.

Rs. 200,000 per hectare for restarting vegetable cultivation.

Request to the IMF to increase the 6th tranche to USD 341 million, expected by February after discussions.

Additional USD 200 million relief request from the IMF to meet urgent dollar needs.

Formation of a National Task Force for Reconstruction.

Rs. 1 million compensation for each person who lost their life due to the disaster.