President to open ‘Viru Daru Vidu Piyasa’ defence school building tomorrow

President Maithripala Sirisena will ceremonially open the new three-storied ‘Viru Daru Vidu Piyasa’ building at Kurunegala Defence Services College tomorrow (29), the Ministry of Defence announced yesterday.

The President will also award 2000 more ‘Virusara’ Privilege Cards to Tri-service, Police and Civil Security Department War Heroes in the North Western Province during this special event.

The construction of the new VDVP building got underway with the blessings of the President and State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene at a cost of Rs.215 million for the government. The construction was completed by members of the technical staff in the Sri Lanka Navy and the Department of Engineering in the North Western Province.

The new building, equipped with 41 class rooms, IT laboratories, libraries, administrative offices and a cafeteria with modern facilities will enable the VDVP to absorb more children from tri-service families in the future.

Already 1, 023 students currently do studies in the college in the classes from Grade 1 to 9. The VDVP at Kurunegala is considered as one of the best 50 national schools across the country having students excelled in Under 13 cricket, chess, karate, football and athletics.

Meanwhile, a total of 2, 000 more disabled War Heroes and family members of fallen War Heroes of the North Western Province will receive ‘Virusara’ Privilege Cards during the same ceremony.

Virusara Privilege Card offers a wide range of benefits in more than 67 state and private sector services, including medicine, food varieties, transport, hospital treatment, educational courses, furniture, jewellery, hardware, etc.

The Virusara Privilege Card which was introduced in January last year has so far disseminated discounts among the beneficiaries to the value of Rs.190.02 million.

The Ranaviru Seva Authority will also award scholarships to widows and children for sewing courses, advanced level studies, English language courses and other professional courses sponsored by private sector companies and the Ranaviru Seva Authority.

President Maithripala Sirisena is scheduled to distribute those scholarships during the ceremony at Kurunegala.

Tri-service War Heroes and family members, numbering over 30, 000 have so far received the ‘Virusara’ Privilege Card being distributed as a project of the Ranaviru Seva Authority of the State Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Defence.