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Tuesday, April 12, 2011 - 5.05 GMT |
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Over 95 percent
of N-E displaced resettled |
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Over 95 percent of displaced people in the North-East have been resettled in their places of origin.
Resettlement Ministry Secretary B. M. U. D. Basnayake said that his Ministry has initiated action with the support of the Housing Ministry to repair and reconstruct those partially damaged houses of the displaced who have been settled in their places of origin in Kilinochchi, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Jaffna districts.
The Resettlement Ministry has called for identification of lands for the reconstruction of houses in these districts from Government Agents and District Secretaries, said Basnayake.
Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa consented to implement a housing project to phase out IDP camps in the Northeast which is envisioned to build 1,000 houses in the five districts with 200 houses in each district, he said.
Asked about the progress of the Ministry's resettlement efforts, Basnayake said, out of 280,000 internally displaced persons, 252,000 were returned home since May, 2008 under the government's National Resettlement Strategy in keeping with Mahinda Chinthana.
'We are prepared to resettle them no sooner than the Defence Ministry declares that the areas they are supposed to return are cleared of land mines.
'The Defence Ministry has been able to complete clearance of land mines in the Northeast except in the Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts.
'They have almost finished clearing Mullaitivu of land mines. The process of clearing land mines can be over any time. Once the Defence Ministry gives us the go ahead, we will resettle the remaining displaced families," he explained.
The Resettlement Ministry is also planning to introduce housing projects to those living in border villages in Monaragala, Anuradhapura, Ampara Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura districts.
Moves are underway to put up 100 housing units for Nelliyadda, Keramatiyawa border village that was attacked by the LTTE in the early 90s.
"The Ministry has called on local authorities to identify locations to build houses in these villages. Altogether we expect to construct 1,000 houses for the displaced in border villages," he said.
Asked how they support the resettlers at present, he said, the government is providing them with dry rations, things such as plastic sheets, medicine, towels and food items.
'An allocation of Rs. 10,000 is also given monthly through the People's Bank besides provisions of livelihood facilities provided by the Resettlement Ministry," he added.
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