Rs 9.9 m per day for IDPs' food and drink

Irangika RANGE and Sandasen MARASINGHE

Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Minister Rishad Bathiudeen told Parliament yesterday that the Government spends Rs 9.9 million on a daily basis to supply food and drink to Internally Displaced people living in welfare centers in Vavuniya.

In addition, Rs. 472, 300 is spent for other daily requirements of these people. The Minister was responding to a question raised by JVP MP Ranaweera Pathirana.

Minister Bathiudeen said only 135, 927 IDPs out of 300,000 are living in welfare centers in Vavuniya. They belong to 44,940 families and are housed in 14 welfare centers in and around Vavuniya. Meanwhile, a staff of 938 persons had been deployed to maintain and upgrade facilities of these camps.

The UNHCR, World Food program and UNICEF are also providing assistance in this regard.