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Sri Lanka Army

Defender of the Nation

01st March 2016 20:34:50 Hours

1136 War Heroes Provided ‘Virusara’ Privilege Card at Boyagane

One more programme for distribution of the ‘Virusara’ Privilege Card (Phase - II) for War Heroes and their families of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and the Civil Security Department at provincial level took place on Tuesday (1) at Boyagane Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment (VIR) Regimental Headquarters premises, Kurunegala in a ceremony, headed by State Minister of Defence Hon Ruwan Wijewardene (MP).

At Boyagane, 1136 family members of fallen War Heroes and disable War Heroes received this special privilege card during the ceremony, attended by Eng Karunasena Hettiarachchi, Secretary Defence, Mr A.P.G Kithsiri, State Secretary to Ministry of Defence, Mrs Anoma Fonseka, Chairperson, Ranaviru Seva Authority (RSA), Commander of the Navy, Commander of the Air Force, Deputy Chief of Staff, senior officials of the Ministry of Defence, senior tri-service officers, senior Police officers and Civil Security Department officials. 

A warm welcome accorded to the visiting Minister set the stage ready for commencement of the day’s programme after lighting the traditional oil lamp at the auditorium. Major General K.C Gunawardena, Colonel of the Regiment, VIR afterwards welcomed all those who were present at the occasion. 

Mrs Anoma Fonseka, Chairperson, RSA in a brief address to the occasion assured that the project that grants many benefits to War Heroes and their families would be further expanded with more and more additions as the scheme turns more popular among the most deserving sections of the services, Police and the Civil Security Department. She also appealed them not to be misled by rumour mongers and various other elements who are trying to sabotage these welfare projects for different political agendas.    

Mrs Fonseka briefly explained how the project has now been set in motion after the inaugural event at Temple Trees was kicked off in January this year

Dialog Company (Pvt) Limited during the ceremony as a special stimuli to the project introduced the ringing tone of the thematic song, ‘Sudu Paraviyanta Idadenna’, sung by Kasun Kalhara of the new generation. 

Eng Karunasena Hettiarachchi, Secretary Defence in his address told the gathering that the government was all the time prepared to provide redress to the problems and grievances of the War Heroes and also members of their families. 

Phase - II of the project, set to distribute a total of 13,000 ‘Virusara’ Privilege Cards under several stages across the island offered those cards to 1136 beneficiaries, including family members of fallen War Heroes and disable War Heroes during the event at Boyagane. 

State Minister of Defence Hon Ruwan Wijewardene speaking to the gathering thanked the State Ministry of Defence and the RSA officials for implementation of the project on a staggered basis.  

The brief speech by the Minister and distribution of 1136 ‘Virusara’ privilege cards among all family members of fallen War Heroes and disable ones brought the day’s event to an end.

The ‘Virusara’ Privilege Card which offers a wide assortment of benefits in more than 45 state and private sector services, such as tangible discounts on medicine, food varieties, transport, hospital treatment, loans, educational courses, etc also recognizes the invaluable services of War Heroes, including those disable ones.

The ‘Virusara’ card, conceptualized by State Minister of Defence Hon Ruwan Wijewardene with the blessings of the President Maithripala Sirisena was inaugurated as a project of the Ranaviru Seva Authority in January, this year in recognition of the services, rendered by War Heroes in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and the Civil Security Department during a ceremony at Temple Trees where the first segment of the ‘Virusara’ card was primarily distributed. 

A large gathering of invitees, including Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral R.C Wijegunaratne, Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal G.P Bulathsinghala, Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General Sumedha Perera, Commander, Security Force Headquarters - West, Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, Colonel of the Regiment, VIR, Major General K.C Gunawardena Ministry of Defence officials, tri-service, Police and Civil Security Department officers graced the ceremony at Boyagane. 

Over 3 lakhs of family members of fallen War Heroes and disable ones are entitled to receive those benefits when the project completes its mission in six phases by April, this year.