Sri Lanka Army in another soldier-friendly welfare project for provision of monetary assistance to family members of fallen War Heroes and differently able War Heroes for the exclusive purpose of construction of houses, gave away financial grants to 46 families of War Heroes on Thursday (18) at a ceremony, headed by Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva, Commander of the Army as the Chief Guest at the invitation of Directorate of Veterans’ Affairs of the Army.
The ceremony at the Army Headquarters saw 45 disable War Heroes and one family member of a fallen War Hero receive financial grants to the value of Rs 5 lakhs each for the above purpose. The project, initiated a few years ago with the blessings of respective former Commanders and the incumbent Commander when he was the Chief of Staff, is being implemented by Directorate of Veterans’ Affairs with the funds, being contributed to by all officers (Rs 50/=) and other rankers (Rs 10/=) every month. Each receives this grant either for construction of a new house or for the completion of their partly-built houses.
Directorate of Veterans’ Affairs under this programme, has to-date provided such financial assistance to 356 disable War Heroes and families of fallen War Heroes of the Army, amounting to more than Rs 178 million in the past few years.
Those savings, contributed by all Army personnel, remain deposited in state banks under the special Ranaviru Housing Fund of the Army. Interest thus accrued from such deposits enables disbursement of financial grants to War Heroes every year.
Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva in his brief address to the occasion reminded that the commitment and dedication of each and every soldier enabled to bring this project to a successful stage.
HE the President, the Commander remarked, personally instructed him to carry out all welfare work for soldiers unhindered and assured all possible assistance in the future, too. He also declared that a similar welfare programme would be implemented soon in order to expand welfare roles, further.
Major General E.M.M Ambanpola, Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General M. Hathurusinghe, Adjutant General, Major General H.C.P Goonatilleke, Commandant, Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force, Major General R.V Udawatte, Director General, Financial Management, senior officers, including Brigadier N.A.P.C Napagoda, Director, Veterans’ Affairs and a large gathering, attended the ceremony.
Lighting of the traditional oil lamp inaugurated the day’s proceedings and cultural troupes of the Army provided entertainment to the occasion.
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