Ranaviru Mawpiya Rakawarana account to be opened:

Ranaviru Seva Authority to fete War Heroes’ parents

Ridma Dissanayake

The Ranaviru Seva Authority which is under the purview of the Defence Ministry, will felicitate War Heroes’ parents. Rs 450 million will be spent per month for the programme.

The Authority will open an account named Ranaviru Mawpiya Rakawarana for War Heroes’ parents and parents of Security Forces personnel who served from January 1,1983 to May 19, 2009, Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) Director General Lakshman Hulugalle said.

Parents of Police officers who sacrificed their lives or became disabled during the war, are also entitled to the special payment. Parents of all ranks in the Three Forces are also entitled to the special payment, he said.

The inauguration ceremony of this programme will be held on October 18 at Temple Trees under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s patronage. Around 4,000 parents of the Security Forces personnel will receive the accounts at the ceremony, Ranaviru Seva Authority chairperson Padma Wettawa said.

Statistics from the Three Forces and the Ranaviru Seva Authority reveal nearly 600,000 parents will become beneficiaries of this programme. The Ranaviru Seva Authority will grant Rs 750 for each parent. The father and mother of one person will receive Rs1,500 monthly. Around 468,000 parents of Army personnel, 79,000 from Navy, 30,000 from Air Force and 56,000 from the Ranaviru Seva Authority will receive benefits of this programme, she said.

“Security Forces personnel are important stakeholders of the country’s development programme. The government grants promotions, medals and salary increments when they excel in their fields. Their parents gifted their sons and daughters to the country. This is the reason we are felicitate their parents,” Wettawa said. Bank of Ceylon, People’s Bank, National Savings Bank and the Pradeshiya Sanwardhana Bank have joined this programme.