Another 313 ex – LTTE cadres to be released to mark Thai Pongal

http://www.dailynews.lk/2013/01/11/sec02.asp

 

Ridma Dissanayake

The Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Ministry will release another 313 rehabilitated former LTTE cadres at Vavuniya on January 13 to mark the Thai Pongal festival, a Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Ministry Spokesman said.

The office of Rehabilitation Commissioner General Brigadier Darshana Hettiarachchi has taken measures to integrate the former LTTE cadres into society which will complete the rehabilitation programme at the Maradamadu and Poonthottam rehabilitation centers in Vavuniya.

“The government has introduced a special loan scheme through the Bank of Ceylon (BOC), People’s Bank and National Savings Bank (NSB) to provide loans up to a maximum of Rs.250,000 under lower interest rates which will be granted to the 10,375 rehabilitated cadres for self-employment purposes,” the spokesman said.

“The government has already granted loans to most of the rehabilitated cadres and another 125 selected youth are to receive these loans at a special function which to be held in Mannar,” he added. Meanwhile, a cricket match for Northern Provincial Council members has been planned to mark Thai Pongal day. Since the end of the war, around 11,800 ex-LTTE cadres were entered into the rehabilitation programme.