President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today announced a comprehensive housing assistance package for families affected by the recent floods and landslides, unveiling a series of financial grants and long-term support during his address to Parliament.
He stated that the government will ensure immediate and long-term relief for displaced households, prioritising safer relocation away from landslide-prone and high-risk flood zones.
The housing assistance package includes the following measures:
• Rs. 50,000 allowance per affected household to purchase essential household items, regardless of house or land ownership.
• Rs. 25,000 monthly allowance for three months for families that lost homes and need to rent, with the possibility of extension up to six months.
• Living support for households that lost both homes and livelihoods:
– Rs. 25,000 per month for families with two members
– Rs. 50,000 per month for families with more than two members
(For three months)
• Up to Rs. 5 million for individuals without land or those residing in unsafe areas where state land cannot be provided.
• Rs. 5 million for the construction of a new house to replace each home completely destroyed by the disaster.
• A maximum of Rs. 2.5 million to repair each partially damaged house.
President Dissanayake noted that these measures aim not only to support families in crisis, but to rebuild Sri Lanka in safer locations with proper planning and accountability. The government has taken a firm decision to prohibit construction in high-risk landslide areas and flood zones to prevent future tragedies, he added. (Newswire)