December 14, Colombo (LNW): The Government’s ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, set up to assist communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah, has so far attracted contributions exceeding Rs. 3.4 billion.
The above figure has been disclosed by Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
He said the fund has received widespread backing from within the country as well as from overseas, with donations coming from prominent business figures, Sri Lankans living abroad and a range of international organisations.
In monetary terms, the total contributions amount to more than Rs. 3,421 million, equivalent to over USD 11 million. Of this, foreign currency inflows account for approximately USD 4.1 million, reflecting strong international engagement.
Dr Suriyapperuma noted that assistance has been received from around 40 countries, with the United States emerging as the single largest contributor. Substantial support has also come from the Sri Lankan diaspora in Australia, alongside donations from countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, the Maldives, Saudi Arabia, France, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
He added that several domestic companies have each pledged more than Rs. 100 million, while a further four sizeable contributions ranging between Rs. 20 million and Rs. 100 million have been made by members of the business community and the public, highlighting broad-based support for national recovery efforts.
