GA seeks permission to transport rice from Vanni to Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 January 2003, 11:54 GMT]
The Jaffna Government Agent Mr.S.Pathmanathan said at the rehabilitation conference held Friday at Jaffna district secretariat that he has sought permission from the Prime Minister to bring rice from Liberation Tigers (LTTE) held Vanni region to be distributed in the peninsula easing shortage, sources in Jaffna said.

Secretary to the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement, Mr.A.Jeyaretnam, said in future his ministry would only deal with payment of compensation to victims and resettlement of displaced. Other matters will be undertaken by the Sub Committee on Immediate Humanitarian Needs (SIHRN), said Ministry Secretary addressing a conference at Jaffna district secretariat Friday.

He further said his ministry applied for an allocation of 3000 million rupees for rehabilitation, resettlement and reconstruction works in five districts of the north. But the government has released only 125 million rupees. Of this amount 70 million rupees have been allocated to the Jaffna district.

Fifty two million rupees have been allocated for the payment of compensation to victims and it would be paid on priority basis, he said.

Mr. Vijitharan and Mr.Poovannan of Thamileelam Administrative Service, North East Provincial Chief Secretary Mr.S.Rangaraja, Ministry Assistant Secretary Mr.Kumarathasan, Jaffna district Tamil national Alliance parliamentarian Mr.A.Vinayagamoorthy and heads of government departments attended the conference.