Defence Ministry fast-tracks veteran welfare

Colombo, June 12 (Daily Mirror) - Deputy Minister of Defence, Aruna Jayasekara, chaired a special discussion at the Parliament Complex aimed at accelerating welfare assistance for Tri-Forces and Police personnel, including members of the Special Task Force (STF), who sustained disabilities due to terrorist activities during the country's conflict.

The meeting focused on the swift implementation of a government-backed welfare programme designed to address long-standing issues faced by disabled members of the security forces. The initiative follows Cabinet approval of a memorandum prepared based on recommendations made by an appointed committee to identify affected personnel and provide appropriate relief measures.

During the discussion, attention was directed towards establishing medical boards represented by the Ministry of Health to assess cases involving military and police personnel who were killed, disabled, or discharged from service after suffering conflict-related injuries. The proposed mechanism is expected to facilitate the efficient delivery of benefits to eligible beneficiaries.

Officials also discussed plans to decentralize the functions of the medical boards and expand their operations to regional areas, improving accessibility for disabled veterans across the country. Deputy Minister Jayasekara instructed relevant authorities to expedite the implementation of the programme and ensure its effective rollout.

Emphasizing the importance of making the initiative accessible to beneficiaries islandwide, the Deputy Minister urged stakeholders to make full use of medical facilities within the Tri-Forces to facilitate referrals and speed up the processing of welfare claims.

He further stressed that all eligible beneficiaries should receive their entitled assistance without unnecessary delays, reaffirming the government's commitment to supporting service personnel who made significant sacrifices in the defence of the nation.

The meeting was attended by the Tri-Forces Commanders, the Director General of Health Services, senior officials of the Ministry of Defence, and representatives from the Tri-Forces, Sri Lanka Police, and the Special Task Force.