281,784 families in Gampaha receive Rs.5,000 allowance | Daily News

281,784 families in Gampaha receive Rs.5,000 allowance

By last Friday 281,784 families in Gampaha District who lost their livelihoods due to the COVID-19 lockdown have been given an allowance of Rs. 5,000 each, Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said yesterday.

He said the government had spent Rs. 1,408.920,000 to provide this relief.

The government has allocated Rs. 2,721,270,000 to pay an allowance of Rs. 5,000 to 544,254 families in the Gampaha District who lost their livelihood due to the COVID-19 epidemic, Minister Ranatunga pointed out.

42,947 families in Minuwangoda Divisional Secretariat, 36,730 families in Divulapitiya, 36,754 families in Mirigama, 31,285 families in Attanagalla, 33,732 families in Mahara, 35,532 families in Dompe have been paid Rs. 5,000 as of last Friday, Minister Ranatunga further pointed out.

Another 262,470 families in 13 Divisional Secretariat Divisions in Gampaha district are yet to receive this allowance of Rs. 5,000, the Minister said.

These payments are expected to be finalised in the next few days. Arrangements have been made to provide essential food items to the Wattala, Peliyagoda, Kadawatha, Sapugaskanda, Ragama, Negombo, Pamunugama and Ja-Ela police areas in the Gampaha district which have already been isolated.

Gampaha District Secretary Sunil Jayalath said measures have been taken to provide Rs.10,000 worth of essential food items to 7,828 quarantined families in the Gampaha District. It will be given in two separate bags worth Rs. 5,000. Families that have already received the Rs. 5,000 allowance will be given only one bag of essential food items.

Accordingly, 3604 families will be provided with a bag of essential items worth Rs. 5,000. The government has spent Rs. 57,160,000.00 for this entire programme in the Gampaha District.