Another 27 houses constructed at Thorayaya in Kurunegala under the Second Phase of Api Wenuwen Api programme by the Ministry of Defence has completed and to be handed over to war heroes on 5th September.
These hoses will be handed over to war heroes who were rendered disable and to widows and children of the fallen war heroes, said the Director General of Media Centre for National Security, Mr. Lakshman Hulugalle speaking at a press conference.
The first phase of this program was completed on July 11 with President Mahinda Rajapaksa handing over the keys of 25 houses in Senarathgama, Kandy to war heroes.
The objective of the project is to uplift the living standards of families of war heroes by assisting them to build their own houses on plots of lands owned by them.
Mr. Hulugalla revealed that many Sri Lankans living in here and abroad have contributed to the "Api Wenuwen Api" programme at the request of President Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Ghotabaya Rajapaksa, and could raise funds over Rs. 700 million for the purpose.
The Api Wenuwen Api Fund is a collaboration between the Ministry of Defence and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to build 50,000 houses for the serving Tri-Service personnel as promised in the Mahinda Chinthanaya. The housing project is conducted under the guidance and close supervision of the Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Defence Ministry's Seva Vanitha Unit chairperson Ioma Rajapaksa.
He further explained that every cent received for the Api Wenuwen Api fund from the public is utilized to construct houses, and the labour is provided by the three forces personnel so that the fund was only used to buy the materials for the constructions, he added.
Mr. Hulugalla kept on to say that the value of each house is around Rs 2.5 million. Sometimes, infrastructure facilities such as electricity, water supply and roads for the villages in which the war heroes live are also developed to provide better facilities to them
Hulugalla further said that the construction of 12 more houses in Kurunegala District is in progress.
He also said the third and the fourth phases of the program that had already started in Hambantota and Matara districts are nearing completion and the next phase will be commenced in the Moneragala district immediately. Hulugalla further said that it is decided to construct two houses in each of the 14000 GS Divisions with the support of the Samurdhi Authority.
Defence Ministry Additional Secretary and Defence Ministry Seva Vanitha Unit Deputy Chairperson Indu Ratnayake and Military Spokesman Major General UAB Medawela also participated at the occasion.
Contributions can be made to the Api Wenuwen Api fund to the following Account Numbers.
Bank of Ceylon Ac No: 704000, Sampath Bank Ac No. 704000 and Ac No: 092960000600 and Peoples Bank Ac No: 204-1-001-7-0000323.
Posted on Friday, September 03, 2010 @ 14:08:41 JST by admin
