The initial Rs. 25,000 grant provided to flood-affected families for house cleaning has so far been paid to 257,000 households out of the 493,000 eligible beneficiaries, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament yesterday.

He said Rs. 6.4 billion has been disbursed to date from the total allocation of Rs. 17.6 billion.

According to the Minister, about 610,000 families were affected by the cyclone, of whom 493,000 qualified for the initial relief payment.He added that steps are being taken to complete the remaining payments shortly.

A high-level delegation from the People’s Republic of China, led by Wang Dongming, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (SCNPC), met with Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, at the Parliamentary premises on Tuesday (17).

Deputy Speaker Dr. Rizvie Salih; Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and Leader of the House of Parliament, and the President of the Sri Lanka–China Parliamentary Friendship Association, Bimal Rathnayake; Member of Parliament and Chief Opposition Whip, Gayantha Karunathilleka; Lu Xinshe, Chairman of the Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee of the National People’s Congress; Wang Ke, Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Deputy Head of the China–Sri Lanka Friendship Group of the National People’s Congress; Tan Tianxing, Vice Chairman of the Social Development Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress, along with other members of the Chinese delegation, were present at the meeting. The Ambassador of China to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong, the Secretary General of Parliament, Kushani Rohanadeera; and the Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament, Chaminda Kularatne, were also in attendance.

During the discussions, Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne highlighted the deep-rooted and enduring relationship between Sri Lanka and China. He noted that the visit of the high-level Chinese parliamentary delegation underscored the importance that China places on parliamentary diplomacy and reflected the strength of the longstanding partnership between the two countries. The Speaker briefed the delegation on the aftermath of the recent disaster caused by Cyclone Ditwah and extended Sri Lanka’s sincere gratitude to the Government and people of China for the timely support and assistance extended during this period.

Addressing the meeting, the Vice Chairman Wang Dongming, expressed his appreciation for the invitation to visit Sri Lanka and reaffirmed China’s commitment to further strengthening parliamentary exchanges and bilateral cooperation between the two nations. He stated that China stands ready to support Sri Lanka in achieving its economic and social development goals as a close and friendly neighbour. He further reaffirmed China’s support for the Government of Sri Lanka in overcoming the challenges posed by the recent disaster situation.

Wang Dongming also recalled the recent visit of the President of Sri Lanka to China and noted that it serves as a new strategic guide for bilateral relations between the two countries. Furthermore, he expressed China’s readiness to work closely with Sri Lanka in the fields of economic cooperation, education, culture, and tourism, with a view to delivering mutual benefits to both nations.

Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne also reiterated Sri Lanka’s appreciation for China’s continued support extended at bilateral, regional, and international levels.

Two Sri Lankan fishing vessels were seized near Kelaa in Haa Alifu Atoll yesterday during an operation conducted by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) based on intelligence shared by foreign sources, Maldivian media reported yesterday.

The Edition published from Male quoted the MNDF as having said that the vessels were detained by the Coast Guard for illegally entering the Maldives’ Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The seizure was carried out during a joint surveillance operation involving the Coast Guard and Air Corps, following intelligence provided by regional partners.

According to the MNDF, the two vessels were intercepted at around 8:30 am yesterday, approximately 51 nautical miles off Kelaa, Maldives.

The vessels have since been handed over to the Maldives Police Service, which has launched an investigation into the incident.

The seizure comes amid heightened maritime security efforts following a recent major drug trafficking case. Last month, a Sri Lankan fishing vessel, carrying 350 kilograms of drugs, was seized in Maldivian waters. Five Sri Lankan nationals found on board were arrested and remanded in custody pending trial.

A Sri Lankan investigative team has also arrived in Maldives in connection with that case.