Sri Lankan soldiers who were injured and the families of those killed in action will be allocated more relief through the National Defence Fund Act, declared Sri Lanka’s Lands and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gayantha Karunathillake.
Mr Karunathillake told a press conference yesterday that the act had been amended following a proposal by Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena in his capacity as Defence Minister.
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The announcement comes as Sri Lanka’s 2018 budget sees defence spending maintain the highest allocation, with a 2.3% increase from last year.
Sri Lankan troops have benefitted from a range of government initiatives, including interest-free loans and a scheme that grants soldiers in the armed forces a grant of Rs. 100,000 at the birth of the third child.
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