Govt. to assist in developing religious places of worship : PM

The government will provide financial assistance to develop religious places of worship, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Hindu clergymen at the Nallai Thirugnanasambandar Adheenam mission in Jaffna today (Aug 15).

While pointing out that several temples in the North had been destroyed due to the war, the Prime Minister had stated that funds would be allocated in the next budget to develop the Hindu mission in the area.

A statement from the Prime Minister's office read that Mr. Wickremesinghe had agreed to construct more places of worship if required by the people. However, he had said that such places would not be constructed unnecessarily.

Further, he had set that the religious council which had been set-up after the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, would be entrusted with the duty of protecting religious sites, upon discussions with the Archaeological Department.

Mr. Wickremesinghe had also noted that steps would be taken to draw more Hindu devotees from India and Malaysia to visit the Kataragama temple through the Mattala International Airport.

* (corrects Nallur Kovil to Nallai Thirugnanasambandar Adheenam mission in paragraph 1)