President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officials to ensure that the government-approved compensation of Rs. 500,000 for houses partially damaged by Cyclone Ditwah is paid to all beneficiaries before the end of May, except in exceptional circumstances.
The directive was issued at a progress review meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday morning. The session focused on compensation payments and the provision of new housing for residents whose homes were partially or fully damaged by the November 2025 cyclone, the President’s Media Division said.
Officials also discussed relocating families still living in camps to temporary housing until permanent homes are built, and identifying suitable relocation sites for households in high-risk areas. The President instructed that these steps be completed at the earliest opportunity. Plans for housing complexes intended for residents who opt not to take the cash compensation to purchase or build replacement homes were also reviewed.
The meeting was attended by Housing and Construction Minister Dr. Susil Ranasinghe; Finance, Planning and Economic Development Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma; Commissioner General of Essential Services Prabath Chandrakeerthi; and secretaries from the Public Administration, Plantation and Community Infrastructure, and Defence portfolios.
Wednesday’s deadline-setting follows Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya’s statement earlier this week that full reconstruction from Ditwah — which caused 646 deaths and USD 3.4 billion in damage — is targeted for completion by year-end. The National Building Research Organisation previously published a tiered framework differentiating partial and total damage payments.
