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| Sunday, 27 February 2005 |
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AAIB payments for tsunami victims by L. S. A. Wedaarachchi All insurance policy holders in the agriculture and fisheries communities including members of pension schemes who were affected by the tsunami disaster are being paid by the Agriculture and Agrarian Insurance Board (AAIB). Special teams appointed to meet the agriculture and fishery insurance policy holders and the members of the farmer and fishery pension schemes have already visited the Galle and Ampara Districts. According to the Chairman of AAIB Dr. A. R. Ariyaratne, Agriculture and fishery pensions are being paid at the closest post office to farmers and fishermen on the due date with the assistance of the Assistant Director of AAIB of the relevant area, although they had lost their identity cards or relevant documents. As instructed by Minister of Agriculture Land Livestock Development and Irrigation Anura Kumara Dissanayake all policy holders and members of the pension schemes are being paid their total claims for deaths, disabled and also for the destruction of crops, he said. Membership of the agricultural and fishery pension schemes in the tsunami affected areas is 305,635. 11,008 acres have been insured under the cultivation insurance scheme and 2,200 animals have been insured under the livestock insurance programs Out of Sri Lanka's population 70% represents the farmer and fisheries community. Pension schemes for farmers and fishermen, "Suvasetha" health insurance scheme for farmers and fishermen, Insurance scheme for Livestock and Insurance scheme for crop stocks are the main programs implemented by AAIB islandwide. The authorities hope to expand these programs and to introduce new insurance policies in collaboration with various crop sectors in the near future. According to Dr. Ariyaratne, AAIB is also working at village level, because it is the need of the hour' the AAIB also works with village level organisations following the policy of the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock Development Land and Irrigation to expand the AAIB insurance and pension schemes as well as to give all benefits of AAIB projects to the agriculture community, the lifeblood of the nation. A special unit to collect information and assist farmers and fishermen in the tsunami affected areas has been set up at the AAIB premises and its hotline numbers are 011-2448691 and 011-2448692. |
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