Resettlement of IDPs continues...!!!

Resettlement of IDPs continues..........by Franklin R. Satyapalan

The Government on February 2 continued the re-settlement of all IDPs from the districts of Killinochchi, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya North in the Northern Province in a big way, Governor of the Northern Province (Retd) Maj Gen. G. A.Chandrasiri said yesterday.

The Governor said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had directed all Government authorities to provide the necessary assistance required to re-settle the IDPs in their former places of residence without any delay once the de-mining of the areas had been completed.

District Secretary for Vavuniya Mrs P. S. M. Charles said that she had forwarded the ‘Action Plan for 2010’ to Senior Presidential Advisor and Head of Presidential Task Force on Resettlement, Development and Security of the Northern Province parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa.

She said the Government had released Rs 200 million for 2010 for the development of affected areas of Vavuniya North under the Uthuru Vasanthaya program with an additional Rs 200 million being provided for the Gama Naguma project.

She said that the European Commission had agreed to release the funds to construct 3,900 houses while the World Bank agreed to fund the construction of 5,000 houses for IDPs. Commencing February 15, 3,700 persons or 1,000 IDP families would be re-settled in their former places of residence in Vavuniya North.

She said that each family would receive a resettlement allowance of Rs 25,000 with 12 tin sheets for construction of temporary shelter and subsequently a further Rs 25,000 for laying the foundation and a final grant of Rs 350,000 for construction of permanent houses.

In addition, each family would receive a further Rs 4,000 for clearing each acre of their agricultural land with sufficient seed paddy provided free. A fertiliser subsidy, too, would be granted, she said.

Those who want to generate an additional income through livestock and poultry farming would be provided with Micro-financing from a minimum of Rs 10,000 up to a maximum of Rs 50,000, Mrs Charles said.

The District Secretary for Killinochchi Mrs Rupawathi Ketheeswaram said that 3,900 displaced families were being resettled in the 19 GS Divisions of Pooneryn and Karachi. They were provided with Rs 5,000 in cash as re-settlement allowance and 12 roofing tin sheets, timber for the construction of temporary shelters and agricultural implements.

The UNHCR had come forward to provide non food items such as kitchen utensils and bed linen while the World Bank had agreed to fund the construction of 4,000 houses.

The government would provide each family with Rs 20,000 as resettlement allowance and the World Bank an additional Rs 25,000.

The District Secretary for Mullaitivu Mrs Emelda Sukumar said that the resettlement of IDP families West of the A-9 had been completed and in the East of the A-9 highway the program would commence on February 11 in Ganeshapuram, Kattayamalai, Mutthuvinayagapuram and in the villages of Pannikulam, Indupuram which are in Mankulam East. Initially 1,000 persons would be resettled on that day.

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