Under privileged children get savings books

Lakshmi DE SILVA

Finance and Government Revenue Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya distributed Ran Piyawara - Ran Semaruma savings bank account books to 12,500 children of under privileged families in the Kegalle District.

"Schoolchildren between five to 15 years received the special savings accounts to inculcate the savings habit from their young days so that they would make use of their savings to further studies and for other necessities," the Minister said.

Several banks including People's Bank, State Mortgage and Investment Bank, Bank of Ceylon and National Savings Bank provided assistance to this special Ran Piyawara- Ran Semaruma Project. Monitoring and supervision of the project will be done to encourage students to save more, he said.

In addition to the savings account a gift package worth Rs. 1,000 was given to each child which contained school books, bag and other educational equipment and material, the Minister said.