Houses worth Rs 46m donated to families of disabled

by L.S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

The Government allocated over Rs. 159 million last year to improve the living conditions of disabled people, said Director National Secretariat for Persons with Disabilities M.D.C. Jayamanne.

Commenting on the steps taken in this regard, he said that a series of programs such as a monthly allowance of Rs. 3,000 for families of the disabled, medical assistance, self-employment and housing assistance were implemented. Under the housing assistance program 959 new houses worth over Rs. 46 million were donated to the families of the disabled. Nearly Rs. 4 million was provided to settle the medical bills of disabled persons, he said. Rs. 5.3 million was granted to 540 disabled persons to start self-employment projects as a livelihood support, he said. He said that a special meeting to mark United Nations International Disabled day will be held on December 3 at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.

"Mainstreaming disability to the millennium development goals" will be the theme of the year's celebrations, he said.