16th July 2022 18:30:16 Hours
A financial grant of Rs 10 million, made available by the Citizen Development Bank (CDB) for the exclusive use of infrastructure improvement at Maduru Oya Army Training School (ATS) in recognition of the Army’s commitment towards eradication of COVID-19 pandemic and its conduct of quarantine centres and effective procedures, adopted at the ATS during the peak of COVID-19 epidemic control work, enabled the ATS to complete the renovation of the 1st floor of the new building and open it on Wednesday (6).
The dual coordination of Major General Udayantha Wijarathne (Retd) and Major General Prasanna De Silva (retd) facilitated the Citizen Development Bank (CDB) to hand over this grant of Rs 10 m to the former Head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff a few months ago before it was handed over to the Commander of the Army.
The Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage in addition supported the completion of the project allocating a sum of Rs 2 million from Army funds since the ATS as one of the most prominent and important academic centres that caters to both local and foreign military students, is expected to maintain necessary standards and the quality.
Brigadier Najeewa Edirisinghe, Commandant, ATS during a simple ceremony unveiled a plaque and opened the new hostel building which could accommodate about 65 student officers at one time and is also equipped with facilities for trainees with special needs. 3 Corps of Engineer Service troops and the manpower of ATS troops enabled the completion of this much-needed hostel building which was earlier used for COVID-19 quarantine purposes.
The CDB officials during a visit to the ATS when it was functional as a COVID-19 quarantine centre last year saw for themselves the need for infrastructure developments to this building and decided to give this grant for its complete renovation.
Representative CDB sponsors, Staff Officers, officers and Other Ranks joined the ceremonial opening of the 1st floor of the building.
