Sri Lanka Army during launch of another phase of its soldier-friendly welfare project on provision of monetary assistance for house construction gave away financial grants to 72 more disable War Heroes to the value of Rs 36 million on Friday (1) at a ceremony held in the Army Headquarters.
The occasion, headed by Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army as the Chief Guest at the invitation of Army Directorate of Veterans’ Affairs, assumed additional significance as children of late Mr Don Robert Silva, a philanthropist from Kalutara area, donated a land worth about Rs 20 million for distribution among 12 disable War Heroes after presenting deeds to that effect by his elderly children.
Directorate of Veterans’ Affairs, which initiated this housing assistance scheme in 2008, has hitherto given away such financial assistance to 357 disable War Heroes and families of fallen War Heroes of the Army. During the past 5 years, each recipient under this programme received Rs 5 lakhs as a grant.
Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake as the Chief Guest during the same ceremony presented scholarships to 24 children of disable and fallen War Heroes, each worth Rs 10,000/=. Mr Ravi Dadlani, Managing Director, CEAT Company Ltd who provided sponsorship for these scholarships was also associated with the distribution during the ceremony.
In what might be considered as a very rare gesture, Ms Merlyn Peiris Silva, Ms Tiyula Dorris Rajamanthree, Mr Don Nimal Sarathchandra Silva, Ms Renuka Damayanthi Fernando on behalf of late Mrs Osla Airin Silva, in memory of their next of kin late Mr Don Robert Silva, gifted their land to 12 disable War Heroes who don’t have proper houses of their own. Land deeds at Payagala Millagahalanda were presented by the donors on the same occasion in the company of the day’s Chief Guest.
These financial grants to disable War Heroes and families of fallen War Heroes were made possible due to savings deposited in state banks by all officers and other ranks in the Army under the Ranaviru Housing Fund. Under this welfare scheme each officer and other ranker has been contributing Rs 50/= and Rs 10/= respectively through salary since 1999. Interest thus accrued from such deposits enables disbursement of such financial assistance to War Heroes every year.
Mrs Padma Wettewa, Chairperson, Ranaviru Seva Authority, Major General Crishantha De Silva, Chief of Staff, Major General E.P De Z Abeysekara, Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General S.W.L. Daulagala, Director General General Staff, Major General Mahinda Ambanpola, Commandant, Engineer Service Regiment, Major General Jagath Dias, Adjutant General, Major General L.B.R Mark, Commander, Security Force Headquarters – Mullaittivu, Mr Ravi Dadlani, Managing Director, CEAT, Land donors, the Silvas of Kalutara, senior officers including Brigadier N.A.P.C Napagoda, Director, Directorate of Veterans’ Affairs and a large gathering graced the ceremony.
The occasion, headed by Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army as the Chief Guest at the invitation of Army Directorate of Veterans’ Affairs, assumed additional significance as children of late Mr Don Robert Silva, a philanthropist from Kalutara area, donated a land worth about Rs 20 million for distribution among 12 disable War Heroes after presenting deeds to that effect by his elderly children.
Directorate of Veterans’ Affairs, which initiated this housing assistance scheme in 2008, has hitherto given away such financial assistance to 357 disable War Heroes and families of fallen War Heroes of the Army. During the past 5 years, each recipient under this programme received Rs 5 lakhs as a grant.
Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake as the Chief Guest during the same ceremony presented scholarships to 24 children of disable and fallen War Heroes, each worth Rs 10,000/=. Mr Ravi Dadlani, Managing Director, CEAT Company Ltd who provided sponsorship for these scholarships was also associated with the distribution during the ceremony.
In what might be considered as a very rare gesture, Ms Merlyn Peiris Silva, Ms Tiyula Dorris Rajamanthree, Mr Don Nimal Sarathchandra Silva, Ms Renuka Damayanthi Fernando on behalf of late Mrs Osla Airin Silva, in memory of their next of kin late Mr Don Robert Silva, gifted their land to 12 disable War Heroes who don’t have proper houses of their own. Land deeds at Payagala Millagahalanda were presented by the donors on the same occasion in the company of the day’s Chief Guest.
These financial grants to disable War Heroes and families of fallen War Heroes were made possible due to savings deposited in state banks by all officers and other ranks in the Army under the Ranaviru Housing Fund. Under this welfare scheme each officer and other ranker has been contributing Rs 50/= and Rs 10/= respectively through salary since 1999. Interest thus accrued from such deposits enables disbursement of such financial assistance to War Heroes every year.
Mrs Padma Wettewa, Chairperson, Ranaviru Seva Authority, Major General Crishantha De Silva, Chief of Staff, Major General E.P De Z Abeysekara, Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General S.W.L. Daulagala, Director General General Staff, Major General Mahinda Ambanpola, Commandant, Engineer Service Regiment, Major General Jagath Dias, Adjutant General, Major General L.B.R Mark, Commander, Security Force Headquarters – Mullaittivu, Mr Ravi Dadlani, Managing Director, CEAT, Land donors, the Silvas of Kalutara, senior officers including Brigadier N.A.P.C Napagoda, Director, Directorate of Veterans’ Affairs and a large gathering graced the ceremony.
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