The United National Party (UNP) has questioned the feasibility of the disaster relief package announced by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, noting that preliminary estimates place the total losses from the recent cyclonic storms at nearly USD 6 billion.
Speaking at a media briefing, former Minister Rajitha Senaratne argued that the financial requirements of the proposed relief measures far exceed the government’s current capacity. He pointed out that providing Rs. 25,000 to clean affected houses alone would cost around Rs. 1.8 billion, given that 67,505 homes have been damaged. A further Rs. 3.4 billion would be needed to grant Rs. 50,000 to households for purchasing essential kitchen items.
Senaratne added that Rs. 312 million must be allocated to pay three months’ rent for families wishing to leave temporary shelters. He also described the proposed compensation for farmers as unrealistic, estimating that Rs. 7 billion would be required to cover the 510,000 hectares of damaged crops.
According to him, an additional Rs. 44 billion would be needed to provide Rs. 50,000 each to families that lost their livelihoods, while another Rs. 20 billion would be required to compensate vegetable farmers. A further Rs. 20 billion would also be necessary to cover losses in the livestock sector.
He noted that Rs. 200 million would be required to rebuild small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Rs. 5 billion to compensate businesses whose premises were destroyed, and Rs. 2.5 billion to provide stationery for schoolchildren affected by the disaster.
