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Treasury drained, Sumedha seeks foreign drought aid
By Frances Bulathsinghala
The Social Service Ministry needs more than Rs. 700 million to provide relief to an estimated half a million drought-hit families, but so far it has received only Rs. 200 million from the Treasury.

Social Services Minister Sumedha Jayasena told The Sunday Times that the drought which had hit 15 districts had reached unprecedented levels and the funds needed for emergency relief had shot up from Rs 658 million to 708 million.

She said she knew the Treasury was finding it difficult to release funds and therefore the ministry was seeking international aid to provide relief to the affected families in Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Hambantota, Kurunegala, Jaffna, Ampara, Trincomalee, Matale, Kurunegala, Moneragala and other districts

"We have already received aid from Pakistan -- Rs. 8.4 million worth of dry rations -- through the World Food Program. On Friday, we met sixteen Colombo-based foreign NGOs and asked for their help," the Minister said.

Ms. Jayasena said the Social Service Ministry had only Rs. 16 m of the Rs. 440 million allocated to it in the last budget when the UPFA took over and blamed the UNF administration for spending the money irrationally.

Responding to allegations that those who received relief aid had been asked to work in government projects as labourers, the minister said it was the practice to get those who received government relief worth Rs. 1,460 a month to work in government projects.

"This is the usual form which we follow during instances such as crop failure. We have not changed this. They will have to work for their food," Ms. Jayasena said.

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