News
Take-home rations in lieu of in-school meals for children of vulnerable families
Sri Lanka has received WFP’s backing for a project to provide take-home rations in lieu of in-school meals.
The following is the text of a joint statement issued by the government and the WFP recently: “With WFP’s assistance, the Government will commence the second phase of take-home rations distribution to 1.2 million children enrolled in the National School Meal Programme. This initiative is funded by the Government with a contribution of US$6 million (approximately LKR1.2 Billion) and WFP with a contribution of US$200,000 (approximately LKR40 million). The food ration handout is overseen by the State Ministry of Women and Child Development, Pre-school and Primary Education, School Infrastructure and Education Services.
The emergence of a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka required swift school closures as a preventive measure. While this played a critical role in minimising the spread of the virus, it means that children are unable to benefit from the nutritious meal they normally receive in school. In response to a request from the Government, WFP stepped in to ensure schoolchildren of vulnerable families receive much-needed food assistance.
“For many children from low-income families, the food they receive in school is often the only substantial, nutritious meal they have in a day,” says Andrea Berardo, Deputy Country Director of WFP in Sri Lanka. “COVID-19 related job losses and reduced incomes are making it harder for families to feed themselves. We want to help ensure that children continue to receive healthy food during these challenging times.”
The Government of Canada redirected US$200,000 (approximately LKR40 million) from its planned projects to assist WFP and the Government of Sri Lanka in procuring one month’s worth of rations for 41,000 schoolchildren. The Government of Japan redirected 189 MT of canned fish which was initially donated for the in-school meals and will now be included in the ration packs for 220,000 families, providing children with vital protein in their diet.
“Upholding the health and safety of schoolchildren has been our foremost priority throughout our COVID-19 mitigation efforts,” says State Minister of Women and Child Development, Pre-school and Primary Education, School Infrastructure and Education Services, Piyal Nishantha de Silva. “While measures have been put in place to ensure school children have continued access to education, we want to also ensure that they have access to nutritious food. We thank WFP and the Governments of Canada and Japan for helping us reach families when they are in most dire need.”
WFP has been supporting the National School Meal Programme since 2003 as part of its broader efforts to improve child nutrition. In 2020, WFP augmented its support through the launch of the Home Grown School Feeding project. The on-going project links smallholder farmers with the School Meal Programme and aims to ensure that students receive fresh, nutritious food while smallholder farmers have improved food security through a steady source of income”.
A discussion between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and senior officials of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) was held this afternoon (18) at the Presidential Secretariat.
The meeting focused extensively on new development projects planned by the Urban Development Authority. The President emphasised the need to ensure that the budgetary allocations made for these projects in the current year are utilised effectively within the same financial year.
Detailed discussions were also held on projects planned to be implemented jointly by multiple institutions, including the importance of holding consultations with all relevant agencies to reach final decisions and the need to clearly define responsibilities for each institution in both implementation and maintenance phases of the projects.
Attention was drawn to key initiatives such as the Kelani River flood control project, water management projects in Colombo city and the Beira Lake restoration project. The need for a dedicated programme for low-income housing in areas such as Ratmalana and Moratuwa was also highlighted. During the discussion, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake underscored the importance of introducing a structured management framework for the effective coordination of certain projects.
Deputy Minister of Urban Development, Eranga Gunasekara, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Senior Professor Kapila C.K. Perera, Chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA), M.G. Hemachandra and the Heads representing the Urban Settlement Development Authority (USDA), Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLDC), National Physical Planning Department (NPPD) and the Condominium Management Authority (CMA) were also present at the meeting.
(PMD)
News
CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund
The Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the Kelaniya Branch of CEAT Sri Lanka has made a financial donation of Rs. 1,148,000.00, a day’s salary of its members to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund established to support the restoration of livelihoods and the rebuilding of areas affected by cyclone Ditwah.
Secretary of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, D.G.S.D. Navaratne, handed over the donation to the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabhath Chandrakeerthi at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (18).
Treasurer of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, Y.P.I.C. Karunathilaka, together with members of the Executive Committee, were also present on the occasion.
(PMD)
Latest News
Prime Minister off to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed on an official visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.
During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in several high-level academic and diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of education, development studies, research collaboration, and international partnerships.
As part of the visit, the Prime Minister will meet with Ms.Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education of the United Kingdom, at the UK Department for Education, to discuss areas of cooperation in education and related sectors. She is also expected to meet Ms.Yvette Cooper, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, for discussions on matters of bilateral interest and cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.
In addition, the Prime Minister is expected to meet Ms.Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on the sidelines of the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will attend a public event at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and she will also take part in the ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the Institute of Development Studies. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a session at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford, followed by a question-and-answer session with scholars and students.
The visit is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s engagement with academic institutions, international development partners, and Commonwealth member states, particularly in the areas of education, research, policy dialogue, and capacity building.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
President meets senior officials of the Urban Development Authority
CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund
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Prime Minister off to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum
Steps initiated to safeguard Sri Lanka’s Maritime Heritage
Fighter jet crews parachute safely after collision at US air show
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