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Free ambulance service goes to Central Province
View(s):Under the programme of providing free ambulance services throughout the country, ambulances were distributed to 42 police stations in the Kandy and Matale districts.
This is part of a package of assistance by the Indian government to the people of Sri Lanka.
The handing over ceremony was held in front of the Kandy Central market
Minister Harsha de Silva who initiated the programme, and Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella were among those present at the ceremony to handover the ambulances.
Assistant Indian High Commissioner in Kandy Mr. Dhirendra Singh was also present.
Speaking at the handing-over ceremony, held in front of the Kandy central market, Minister de Silva said, when the programme was initiated, there were many who indulged in slinging mud.
Yet the scheme was designed to help the common people, who could ill-afford the cost of hiring a private ambulance to get a patient to hospital.
He reminded the gathering that it was the government of India and its Prime Minister who took the initiative to commence the project.
He added Rupees 3,000 million has been allocated for providing garage facilities for the fleet of ambulances as well as for their maintenance.
Minister Kiriella said the service brought succour to people in need, especially to the poorer sections of the population.
Some MPs he said, heavily criticised the programme when it was brought before parliament. But, today the ordinary people of this country were the beneficiaries, he said.