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Sri Lanka Army

Defender of the Nation

Disability No More a Setback; 86 War Heroes to Erect New Houses with Army Grants


“Write me as one that loves his fellow men” - Leigh Hunt (Poet & Essayist)

The unified sense of strong and genuine comradeship that prevails among all ranks in the Army came to the fore and paid its deserving dividends on Thursday (21) when 86 more disable War Heroes and spouses showed up at Army Headquarters to receive five-digit financial grants to build their own houses during a special ceremony, headed by none other than the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya.

Award of Rs 5 lakhs, each to 4 Officers and 82 Other Ranks, who remain physically handicapped or a few of who have paid the supreme sacrifice after sustaining injuries in the fight against terrorism, was made possible due to voluntary monthly salary deductions, extracted from both Officers and Other Ranks for ongoing Ranaviru Housing Projects in the Army as stipulated in the pay slip.

The inspiring gesture, initiated by the Army Directorate of Veterans Affairs, on the directives of the Commander of the Army who intently champions the cause of disable Army personnel, launching numerous welfare projects, is implemented with capital interest premiums, credited from those deductions.

Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Army as the Chief Guest in the event distributed a segment of those cheques, each worth Rs 5 lakhs to those disable beneficiaries during the brief ceremony. Major General Crishantha De Silva, Commander, Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force, Major General R.M.D Ratnayake, Chief of Staff, Army Headquarters, Major General E.P. De Z. Abeysekara, Deputy Chief of Staff, Mrs P.B. Wettewa, Chairperson, Ranaviru Seva Authority and Major General S.K. Weerasinghe, Director, Directorate of Budget and Finance Management followed suit and gave away the remainder of cheques to those War Heroes.

Corporal W.P.C Sampath, an inmate in the ‘Abimansala - 2’ (wellness resort) at Wilpitawatta, Kamburupitiya, who made a request to the Commander for this housing grant when the former met the Commander during a visit to Kamburupitiya too,  received his cheque at the same occasion.       

In the year 2011, 68 disable war veterans enjoyed this privilege and the number of beneficiaries was increased to 86 this year, on the recommendations of the Directorate of Veterans Affairs as instructed by the Commander. Spouses of three War Heroes who were killed in action (KIA) during the height of the humanitarian operation in Wanni were also among the recipients of this housing grant on Thursday (21) along with their children.

Of the total, 10 recipients are wheelchair-borne while 10 more remain visually-impaired due to ferocity of the enemy fire when they were waging war against separatism, a few years ago.      

Thursday’s ceremony got underway after lighting of the traditional oil lamp, observance of a one-minute silence in honour of fallen War Heroes and the recital of the Army song. Several entertaining dancing troupes coloured the event. Brigadier N.A.P.C Napagoda, Director, Directorate of Veterans Affairs spelt out the objective of the scheme, welcoming the gathering at the outset of the proceedings.