The Government has launched the Rataviru Piyasa program to fulfil the housing needs of needy migrant workers and their families. The Government has allocated Rs. 100 million to initiate the program and plans are afoot to build 1,000 houses this year.

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment has made a cash bond with the Samurdhi Bank, enabling migrant worker account holders to apply for soft loans.

Under the program recipients will be provided with special concessionary loans (10 percent interest calculated on reducing balance) to build houses through Samurdhi Banks. The program is a concept of Minister for Foreign Employment and Welfare, Dilan Perera.

In addition, the newly-formed Rataviruwo Organisation, which now has branches in all District Secretariat divisions, will help migrant workers and their families to build houses by offering technical support, labour and other assistance. Rataviruwo, comprises foreign employment authorities, State officials and migrant workers and their families.

Formulated and implemented under the guidance of Minister Perera, the organisation strives to help the country’s labour migrants and families to fulfil their socio-economic needs.

Sri Lanka’s migrant worker fraternity, numbering over 1.7 million, is the country’s largest foreign revenue earner. The annual outflow of migrant workers from the country is around 280,000. (by Ananda Agalakada)

Source: Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)