(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –President Gotabaya Rajapaksa stressed that the government is committed to create a peaceful situation in the country for all citizens to live without fear or suspicion and will take many steps to maintain law and order and ensure national security.
Addressing the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Defense Thursday, the President said 196 new police stations will be established and 10,000 men and women will be recruited to increase the number of police personnel. He added that the national policy to eliminate drugs has already been arranged and will be launched soon.
The Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Defense met under the patronage of President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at the Parliamentary Complex yesterday (08).
This is the first meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Defense after the election of the present Parliament. The President, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Defense, participated in the meeting.
A number of topics such as National Security, Promotion of Law and Order, Salaries of War Heroes, Drug Prevention, Annual Reports of Institutions under the Ministry of Defense and number of issues and proposals were discussed. Government MPs and Ministers and Opposition MPs were present at the meeting.
President Rajapaksa mentioned the proposed measures to ensure law and order and promote prosperity and said that 196 new police stations are planned to be set up in various parts of the country as required. At the same time, 10,000 new recruits, both men and women, will be recruited to increase the police force.
Salaries and allowances paid to the families of disabled and deceased war heroes were discussed at this meeting.
The President said that a Cabinet memorandum has been submitted to the Cabinet to seek approval to pay the salaries and allowances of disabled war heroes until their deaths and afterwards to their dependents for lifetime. This will also provide an opportunity for the dependents of the fallen war heroes to receive these salaries and allowances for life
The President said the request of the families of war heroes will be fulfilled and there is no need to agitate for the demands of the families of war heroes and pointed out that there was different motive behind the agitations.
Both the President and the Defense Secretary said that the present government had not harassed the protesters as it had done in the past.
Responding to a discussion on drug prevention, the President said that the new National Policy on Drug Prevention had now been formulated and it will be made public soon. He pointed out the importance of using religious counseling in the rehabilitation of drug addicts.
Responding to a question on banning books containing religious extremism, the President said that the decision was not aimed at a specific religion but aimed at eradicating all forms of religious extremism in general.
President Rajapaksa stressed the need to cultivate coconut or other suitable crops on unused lands belonging to the Security Forces and instructed the security forces chiefs to identify lands that could be used for this purpose.
State Minister of Defense Chamal Rajapaksa, Secretary of Defense Retired General Kamal Gunaratne, Commanders of the three Armed Forces and chiefs security units led by the IGP were also present at the discussion.
