Over 173,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have been resettled in their places of origin within five months.
Addressing media at the Wanni Security Forces Headquarters, Wanni Security Forces Commander and Competent Authority for IDPs, Major General Kamal Gunaratne said that it was a great achievement to resettle such a number of IDPs in their villages within a short period of time.
As of 23 December, only 108, 573 IDPs are remaining at welfare centers out of over 280,000 displaced civilians.
The government resettles around 1000 IDPs in their own villages on a daily basis immediately after the areas are cleared of land mines.
The District Secretaries have been directed to assist in their smooth return to normalcy and their livelihoods. For instance, farmer families are provided with free seed material and fertilizer while fisher families are given fishing tackle free of charge.
Each IDP family is given dry rations provided by the World Food Program which are sufficient for six months while they are provided with kitchen utensils and other materials like textiles to re-start their normal lives. They are also given Rs.25, 000 to repair their houses.
Infrastructure facilities have been improved in the villages while security measures are also in place.