Economic crisis: 100,000 families already starving – By Ifham Nizam Govt. to provide monthly assistance package – official Source : island.lk Plans are underway to assist an average needy family of  four with a monthly package of Rs. 15,000, a senior adviser to President Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday, adding that the move was expected to help ameliorate the plight of nearly 65,000 families. Food Security Committee Chairman Dr. Suren Batagoda told The Island yesterday that at present some 100,000 families across the country were starving. He said financial assistance would be provided to those families for three months. Within three months, the government would design a package in the form of food stamps, etc. Dr. Batagoda said the World Food Programme, UNICEF, the World Bank, and state agencies would also team up to strengthen food security, focusing especially on needy pregnant mothers and pre-school children. ...

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Agriculture Ministry seeks to set up dollar account- By Ifham Nizam Source:Island The Ministry of Agriculture had yesterday decided to establish a dollar account for the development of the agriculture sector for the country’s food security, a senior Ministry official said.Chairman of the Presidential Committee on National Food Security, Dr. Suren Batagoda, said that if Sri Lanka’s food security is not ensured, the people of the country will suffer a major nutritional deficiency next year. A discussion was held at the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation, under the patronage of Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, about the work to be carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture, on food security.Dr. Batagoda, secretaries of the Ministry Rohana Pushpakumara and Mrs. Chandra Herath, as well as Moneragala and Hambantota district secretaries, and a group of officials, participated in the discussion. ...

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