President joins New Year housewarming in Galnewa

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake joined Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations today (April 14) by attending the housewarming of a family in Galnewa whose home was destroyed by Cyclone Ditwah.

The event was held at the newly built home of H.M. Indrajith Sampath Senarathna in the Malbeligala Grama Niladhari Division of the Galnewa Divisional Secretariat in Anuradhapura.

The house was rebuilt within five months under the government’s compensation programme for fully damaged homes. It is one of six houses now being built in the Galnewa Divisional Secretariat Division for families whose homes were completely destroyed.

Compensation payments have also been completed for 66 partially damaged houses in the same division.

Joining the local residents, President Dissanayake took part in the New Year customs at the new home and extended his Sinhala and Tamil New Year wishes to all those present.

The residents warmly welcomed the President and also conveyed their New Year greetings to him.

Among those present were Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation K.D. Lal Kantha, Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security Wasantha Samarasinghe, Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Management Dr. Susil Ranasinghe, Governor of the North Central Province Wasantha Jinadasa, and Anuradhapura District Member of Parliament Susanta Kumara Navaratne.

Other Members of Parliament, heads of local government institutions, public representatives, Anuradhapura District Secretary Ranjith Wimalasuriya, government officials, family members of Mr. Senarathna and area residents also attended the occasion.

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