The Ranaviru Seva Authority on Thursday distributed electric wheelchairs to war-disabled veterans under a government-funded welfare programme, with officials noting it was the first time such donations had been made entirely from state provisions rather than private contributions.
The event was held under the patronage of the authority’s chairman, Brigadier S.B. Kohona (Retd.), and was attended by senior tri-forces officers, Ranaviru Seva Authority staff, the beneficiaries and their family members.
Speaking at the ceremony, the chairman said improving the daily lives of fully disabled war veterans remained a priority for the authority and that further welfare initiatives would be rolled out in the coming period. He said the shift to fully state-funded procurement marked a new footing for long-term welfare support to veterans whose injuries left them dependent on mobility aids.
The Ranaviru Seva Authority is the statutory body charged with the welfare of war-disabled armed-forces members, their families and the next-of-kin of fallen soldiers, and has historically relied on a mix of government allocations, private donors and corporate sponsors to fund equipment, housing and livelihood support programmes.
Thursday’s handover comes as the government continues to consult on broader support measures for war veterans and estate-sector communities affected by recent disasters including Cyclone Ditwah, with the veterans’ welfare portfolio increasingly positioned as a core strand of the administration’s social policy.
