23rd August 2023 22:13:55 Hours
A mammoth multifaceted welfare project of the Army Directorate of Welfare saw its fruition on Wednesday (23 August) morning at the Army Headquarters where an e-portal widget that provides easy access for Army personnel for their ‘Suwasahana Fund’ facilities, loan facilities, welfare benefits, information, etc was introduced along with the simultaneous distribution of a multitude of relief incentives, essentials, spectacles, school shoes, etc to children and family members of Army personnel serving the Army Headquarters.
Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage RWP RSP ndu, Commander of the Army at the invitation of Brigadier R.P.A.R.P Rajapaksa RSP, Director, Directorate of Welfare graced the mega event as the Chief Guest.
The e-portal widget of Directorate of Welfare was developed by the Technical Officers in the Directorate of Information Technology (IT) of the Army under the supervision of Major General K.A.W.S Ratnayake ndu, Chief Signal Officer and Colonel Commandant Sri Lanka Signal Corps and Colonel M.R Hameem USP, Officiating Director, Directorate of IT on a conceptual guidance of the Army Chief through which easy access has been made available to reach particulars in welfare projects.
The lighting of the traditional oil lamp by the distinguished gathering followed the day’s Chief Guest launching the new e-portal widget on invitation as the first segment of the agenda.
Afterwards, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage, together with Major General G.R.R.P Jayawardena RWP RSP ndu, Quarter Master General of the Army and Major General S.P.A.I.M.B Samarakoon Hdmc Lsc, Commander, Army Logistic Command symbolically distributed 25 spectacles, out of a selected group of 125 deserving next-of-kin of Army personnel who were invited to the occasion. In addition, 25 dry ration packs each worth more than Rs. 7500/= and 25 ‘Bata’ gift vouchers for shoes, each worth of Rs. 1000/= were also given to them.
Likewise, 25 students of Army families symbolically received school aid packs, each worth more than Rs. 7500/= out of a selected 791 school students who had passed the Grade 5 Examination in the year 2022. In addition, those beneficiaries were to receive pairs of school shoes.
The 'Pushpakumara Foundation' funded for the spectacles and Bata Pvt Ltd provided assistance in distributing school shoes and gift vouchers. The rest were arranged by the Directorate of Welfare under the guidance of the Army Chief.
Towards the end, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage presented a special appreciative memento to Mr Jagath Pushpakumara, Chairman of Pushpakumara Foundation. Mr Sumith Caldera, a member of the Pushpakumara Foundation reciprocated the gesture and presented a symbolic memento to the Army Chief.
A note of thanks, raised by a beneficiary on behalf of all the recipients, expressing gratitude to the Commander of the Army and the Sri Lanka Army brought the day’s event to culmination.
Major General W.M.R.W.W.H.J.B Wanigasekera USP, Master General Ordnance, Major General K.P.S.A Fernando RWP RSP ndu, Director General Infantry, Major General M.G.W.W.W.M.C.B Wickramasinghe RWP RSP ndu psc, Director General General Staff, Senior Officers, Officers, Other Ranks, Mr Clive Rodrigo, Managing Director of Bata Pvt Ltd and a representative crowd of beneficiaries took part in the event.
