President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Tuesday directed officials to complete all projects funded under the Rs. 500 billion Cyclone Ditwah allocation before the end of 2026, telling a Matale Special District Coordination Committee meeting that both the political authority and public service share responsibility for spending the package efficiently.
The President made the remarks at the Veera Keppetipola Hall in Matale, where he reviewed compensation and resettlement progress in the district. Officials told the meeting that the Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 50,000 compensation allowances for families affected by Cyclone Ditwah have been fully disbursed in Matale, as have the Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 10,000 student assistance payments. Compensation for houses eligible for assistance without a formal assessment has also been completed in the district.
Dissanayake said the government was working to end a culture in which the law was selectively enforced based on power, wealth and political connections, and urged officials not to fear discharging their duties. “Do not fear carrying out your duties — let us rebuild lives while working within the legal framework,” he said.
The President also instructed officials to expedite construction work on the long-delayed Galewela–Matale Road.
The year-end deadline reinforces an earlier directive issued by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya to the national Ditwah reconstruction task force, and follows separate pledges to disburse all compensation payments and complete temporary housing for displaced families by month-end.
