BATTICALOA : – Financial assistance cheques were distributed yesterday to shrimp farmers in the Batticaloa District who suffered losses due to the recent Dithva storm, at a ceremony held at the Old District Secretariat Auditorium in Batticaloa.
The event was chaired by Batticaloa District Secretary J.S. Arulraj and attended by Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Ramalingam Chandrasekar as the Chief Guest.
During the programme, the Minister presented financial assistance cheques worth Rs. 9.55 million to 30 beneficiary shrimp farmers, providing much-needed relief to those whose livelihoods were affected by the disaster.
Among those present at the event were Member of Parliament Kandasamy Prabu, Director of the Department of Coastal Aquaculture Development M.G.G. Gunasekara, Additional Director (Development) of the National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA), Eng. N. Sivalingam, and Eastern Province Assistant Director of the Department of Coastal Aquaculture Development S. Ravikumar, who also participated in handing over the cheques to the beneficiaries.
The financial assistance is part of the Government’s efforts to support aquaculture farmers in recovering from the losses caused by the Dithva storm and to help restore their livelihoods as quickly as possible.
