Treasury Secretary outlines emergency funding, procurement flexibilities and international support

Releases additional Rs. 220 m to District Secretariats; Says chambers, multilateral agencies and State banks supporting relief efforts via financial access, essential supplies and operational readiness, including mobile banking units; Strengthens on-ground coordination by deploying satellite phones to communication-cut areas

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TREASURY Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma yesterday detailed the Government’s financial interventions and operational facilitation measures introduced to accelerate emergency response and relief efforts amid the country's disaster situation.

He said the Finance Ministry had stepped in ahead of time to ensure uninterrupted funding for rescue and relief operations, supplementing the Rs. 500 million already allocated for rescue efforts and the Rs. 1 billion set aside to support affected property and businesses.

An additional Rs. 500 million was released to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) in recent days, while Rs. 220 million has already been deposited into District Secretaries’ accounts to enable immediate withdrawals based on local needs.