India provides dry ration packs to widows, needy families in Lanka ahead of Eid

Colombo, April 29

Complementing India’s people-centric projects in Sri Lanka through development cooperation partnership, the Indian High Commission here distributed dry ration packs to widows and other needy families ahead of Eid in the island nation’s eastern Ampara district.

India is directly reaching out to the needy sections of Sri Lanka and addressing their necessities through various humanitarian assistance programmes, the Indian mission here said in a statement.

Second Secretary Ashok Kumar distributed dry ration packs to widows and other needy families of Kalmunai in Ampara district on Wednesday, it said.

The special drive, held in collaboration with Young Women’s Muslim Association, was aimed at providing necessary materials to the beneficiaries ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr festival, the statement said.

Dr Rewant Vikram Singh, Director Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center, had distributed dry rations to families of the congregation at St. Anne’s Church Weligampitiya on Easter Sunday on April 17.

Similar initiatives were conducted in six villages of Binigiriya in Kurunegala district and Madawewa and Kirimetiyawa villages in the sacred city of Anuradhapura, ahead of Avurudu.

The special humanitarian drive was launched by High Commissioner Gopal Baglay in Jaffna on March 13.

Food and other essential materials were handed over by the High Commissioner along with Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda to 600 fishermen and their families during the inauguration.

Subsequently, dry ration packs were also distributed among fishermen in Mullativu, Kilinochchi and Mannar.

Assistant High Commission of India in Kandy, Consulate General of India in Jaffna and Consulate General of India in Hambantota have also been undertaking such initiatives to make a palpable impact on daily lives of needy groups in Sri Lanka by providing food and other goods for daily sustenance. PTI