Majority of welfare centres in North shut down - CA

Competent Authority on Resettlement in the North Major General Kamal Gunaratne said that 42 of the 47 welfare centres established in the north have now been closed. The government in the height of war with the LTTE in 2009 had set up these welfare centres to accommodate over 280,000 civilians who fled the LTTE.

Major General Gunaratne said that 265,000 civilians have now been resettled in their villages with necessary infrastructures. The government has given all families resettled with a resettlement payment of Rs. 25,000 and dry rations for a period of six months.  The Government has planned to complete the resettlement of all remaining civilians before the end of year.

According to Maj. General Gunaratne, currently there are around 27,000 civilians to be resettled but actually only 10,000 live in welfare centres. All other remaining civilians, yet to be resettled are living out of these welfare centres with the permission of the authorities. Most of the inmates go out in the morning and return in the evening as they find their livelihoods elsewhere by engaging in agricultural and other day to day activities including construction and trivial work.