From Daily News
As the government decision to provide a seven perch block of
land to every plantation worker family to build their own house has now become
law, no future government will be able to change this plantation worker
entitlement, said Plantation Industries Minister Lakshman Kiriella.
Kiriella made this observation at a meeting attended by
plantation workers at Rani Hall, Kodiellana, Nawalapitiya recently. He said
apart from the resolution of the longstanding land and housing problem of
plantation workers, the programme to pay back their accumulated EPF totaling Rs
1,800 million would begin from July 5.
He said the former regime had misappropriated the EPF funds
of plantation workers by utilizing it for other programmes through the
Janawasama. As a result the EPF and ETF funds due to plantation 3orkers had not
been paid for the past several years.
Now that, a Cabinet memorandum to pay back this money to
workers had been approved the Finance Minister agreed to provide the necessary
funds for it. As such the repayment of all EPF funds would be completed within
a six month period.
Kandurata Janatha Peramuna Leader Mano Ganeshan,
Nawalapitiya UNP Chief Organizer Ananda Aluthgamage and Provincial Council
members Radhakrishnan Rajaram, Velu Kumar and Sri Dharan were also present on
the occasion.
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