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President’s fund increases medical allowances to 100%

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As per President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s directives, measures have been initiated to enhance the medical allowances provided by the President’s Fund, increasing them from 50% to 100%, effective from January 01, 2024.

Mr. Sarath Kumara, the Secretary of the President’s Fund, announced that in line with the President’s guidance, services offered to the public by the President’s Fund will be expanded from the year 2024.

To achieve this, previously uncovered medical conditions have been identified, and assistance has commenced for those diseases. Notably, starting this year, medical aid will cover eye surgeries for individuals under 21 years of age, performed in private or semi-public hospitals.

In an effort to minimize the influx of patients seeking medical assistance in the city, a streamlined registration system within the President’s Fund for hospitals across the island has been implemented from 2024.

Furthermore, the stipend for post-working hours heart surgeries at Karapitiya Hospital will be increased this year, with plans to extend this system to other hospitals. Additionally, starting this year, medical aid payments of up to Rs. 01 million will be provided for liver transplant surgeries for young children at the Ragama Hospital.

Recognizing a gap in coverage, medical aid will now be extended to cover cancer surgeries performed in private or semi-public hospitals. Moreover, both private or semi-public hospitals and government hospitals will offer medical aid for medical tests conducted externally before and after bone marrow transplant surgery, effective this year.

Starting this year, the President’s Fund raises the monthly income limit for medical aid from Rs.150,000 to 200,000 , aiding middle-class individuals. Secretary Mr. Sarath Kumara notes the Fund’s adherence to the President’s directives in providing prompt services in 2023.
In that year, over 8,000 pending medical aid applications were addressed, spending 1,342 million rupees. Additionally, 3458 applications received in 2023 were processed, with Rs. 844.7 million disbursed.

Further, as per the instructions of the President, the President’s Fund has implemented the program of providing scholarships for the students who have passed the G.E.C. O/L exam and who need to be given relief in order to continue their education.

In the meantime, students who have passed the General Certificate of Education A Level Examination with top marks in the last two years have been selected at the district level and national level to provide financial assistance to those students. Accordingly, Rs. 31.5 million financial assistance has been given to 90 selected students.

The President’s Fund also implemented a program to provide financial and material assistance through the divisional secretaries of the island to uplift family units that are suffering from poverty but can engage in self-employment. Also, programs to provide monthly financial and material support through regional secretariats were successfully implemented in 2023 to identify family units suffering from poverty but unable to engage in self-employment or other work. Financial contribution has been provided for maintaining religious harmony as well as for religious activities and other social activities.

Meanwhile, in order to avoid unnecessary delays in the payment of medical aid, the application form for reimbursement of medical aid was updated and the necessary arrangements are being made to make payments within three working days for a medical aid application that is duly completed and delivered to the Presidential Fund without defects.

In 2022, a scholarship program commenced for G.E.C. exam-passed students. From each of the  education divisions across the island, students were selected. Monthly, within the first two days of work, funds are credited to their bank accounts, and SMS notifications are sent. Currently, these students have received 10 monthly instalments.

This year, another initiative began for high-achieving students facing financial challenges after passing the GCE (A/L).  Fifty students from one education division and a total of 5000 students from 100 education divisions are granted 6000 rupees monthly for 24 months to support their General Certificate of Education studies.

The Fund extended support through regional secretaries, aiding impoverished family units and implementing successful monthly assistance programs in 2023. Financial contributions were made for religious harmony and social activities.

Efforts are underway to swiftly provide warranty certificates for hospitalized patients undergoing surgery or treatment. Upon admission, hospitals will deduct the agreed-upon fund amount from medical bills, streamlining the process. Secretary Mr. Sarath Kumara ensures that a single visit to the President’s Fund is sufficient for patients, minimizing unnecessary calls or inconveniences.

Furthermore, a ceremonial event took place at the office premises yesterday, blessing the President’s Fund staff for their new-year duties in 2024.

Venerable Kirinde Assaji from the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya, Colombo, led the Pancha Sheela group in a solemn ceremony attended by dignitaries such as Secretary to the President Mr. Saman Ekanayake, Secretary to the Prime Minister Mr. Anura Dissanayake and others.

(President’s Media Division)

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Passengers jump from plane’s wing after fire alert on Spain flight, triggers panic

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Wildfires have broken out on an island and in towns near Athens in Greece, with blazes also being sparked in Turkey and Syria.

The Hellenic Fire Service and local authorities said that two villages – Tsakeoi and Limnionas – had been evacuated on the island of Evia after the blaze started late on Friday.

One fire service official said more than 160 firefighters, 46 trucks and five aircraft were deployed in southern Evia to put out the fire.

Southern Evia, to the east of Athens, was one of several regions in Greece placed on high alert for wildfires over gale-force winds forecast for today.

Images from Koropi, a town to the southwest of Athens, also show houses burnt down and helicopters dropping water on burning forests.

It marks the latest wildfires to break out in Greece – where blazes are common during the summer – as it tackles strong winds and dry conditions amid an early summer heatwave in southern Europe.

Officials have linked the conditions to at least nine deaths across the continent.

A wildfire broke out in Achlia on the island of Crete on Wednesday, forcing thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate – with some taken to a nearby basketball arena and hotels in safer parts of the island.

The fire service official told Reuters on Friday that the fire in Crete was largely contained.

Meanwhile, blazes have also broken out on Turkey’s west coast – the latest in a series of blazes which started in late June – as well as its southerly neighbour Syria.

At least five fires have been reported in Izmir after extreme heat, strong winds and low humidity. Two people have been killed by the blazes, while tens of thousands have been evacuated.

Fires also flared on both sides of the Turkish-Syrian border on Friday, with a new blaze reported near the town of Dortyol in Turkey’s border province of Hatay.

According to Syria’s Civil Defence, wildfires have spread across large parts of mountainous areas in the Latakia province.

The government department added that conditions have hampered efforts to bring the fire under control, and noted unexploded ordnance could be in some of the areas affected.

Source: SKY NEWS

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CBSL extends Perpetual Treasuries suspension for six months

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The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has decided to extend the suspension of Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL) from carrying on the business and activities of a Primary Dealer for a further period of six months.

The extension is with effect from 4.30 p.m. on 05th July 2025, in order to continue the investigations being conducted by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

The suspension has been extended by CBSL acting in terms of the Regulations made under the Registered Stock and Securities Ordinance and the Local Treasury Bills Ordinance.

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Kataragama Basnayake Nilame pressured over complaint against Kapuwas’ donation misuse

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It has been reported that Dishan Wickramaratne Gunasekara – the Basnayake Nilame of the historic Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya, is facing pressure including from several parties including political circles to withdraw his complaint lodged against the custodians (Kapu Mahattaya) of the devalaya.

The issue had arisen after it was discovered that some custodians were collecting money into their own tills instead of allowing them to be deposited in the official donation box.

Public discussion about the transparency of the temple’s donations intensified after the Basnayake Nilame had begun using a portion of the funds for community projects like hospital construction.

Traditionally, devotees often handed donations directly to the custodians, but the Basnayake Nilame had urged the public via media to place offerings only in the official donation box managed by the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.

He subsequently arranged a proper audit of all such donations for the first time.

In response, some custodians had reportedly begun pressuring devotees near the official box to hand over donations to them instead.

Upon learning of this, the Basnayake Nilame had lodged a complaint with the Kataragama Police, arguing that diverting funds from the official box amounts to fraudulent misappropriation.

Acting on the complaint, police arrested 02 custodians who were collecting offerings near the official box.

However, other custodians then surrounded the police station and pressured the officers to release the arrested individuals, resulting in their release.

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