Money transfer scheme through post offices soon

KURUNEGALA: Posts and Telecommunication Ministry will shortly introduce a money transfer scheme through post offices throughout the country.

This will enable the rural folk to obtain the foreign exchange earnings sent by their kith and kin working abroad in Sri Lanka rupees from the post offices in their areas.

Posts, Telecommunications and Rural Economic Promotion Minister D. M. Jayaratne said this when he addressed several meetings during his visit to Kurunegala and Matale districts recently.

The minister inaugurated work on proposed new post office buildings at Ridigama in Kurunegala and Yatawatta in Matale and laid the foundation stone for a new post office building at Sigiriya during his visit.

The Ridigama post office is estimated to cost Rs. 1.2 million, and Sigiriya post office Rs. 1.7 million while Rs. 1 million has been set apart for the Yatawatta post office building.

Minister Jayaratne said all these post office buildings would be completed before the end of this year.

The minister said post offices throughout the country would be modernised and provided with latest technological facilities to handle all services such as the payment of insurance premia, electricity bills and examination fees. All post offices and sub post offices will also be provided with CDMA telephones.

The Minister recalled that late Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike first expounded the theory that the development of the village was a pre-requisite for the country's development way back in 1955. It was to ensure village development that the people returned the UPFA to power at the last elections.

He also emphasised that communal harmony and mutual respect among people of all communities is a time honoured value of civilisation.