The ceremonial opening of the three-storey Viru Daru Vidu Piyasa at the Kurunegala Defence Services College (VDVP) will take place on March 29 at Kurunegala. President Maithripala Sirisena will grace the occasion as its Chief Guest.
The awarding of 2,000 ‘Virusara’ Privilege Cards to Tri-service, Police and Civil Security Department War Heroes in the North Western Province will also take place during the ceremony. The construction of the VDVP commenced under the patronage of the President and Defence State Minister Ruwan Wijewardene at a cost of Rs. 215 million for the government.
It was completed by the technical staff in the Sri Lanka Navy and the North Western Province Engineering Department.
The new building - equipped with 41 classrooms, IT laboratories, libraries, administrative offices, and a cafeteria with modern facilities - will enable the VDVP to absorb more children from tri-service families in addition to the 1023 students in the college at present.
The VDVP at Kurunegala is now considered as one of the best 50 national schools across the island. It has excelled in under 13 cricket, chess, karate, football and athletics. The Virusara cards offer a wide assortment of benefits in more than 67 state and private sector services, including medicine, food varieties, transport, hospital treatment, educational courses, furniture, jewellery, and hardware among others. The Card saw its birth in January last year and has so far disseminated discounts among the beneficiaries to the value of Rs, 190.02 million.
During the ceremony, the Ranaviru Seva Authority will award scholarships to widows and children for sewing courses, advanced level studies, English language courses and other professional courses via the sponsorships granted by private sector companies and the Ranaviru Seva Authority. President Maithripala Sirisena will distribute the scholarships during the ceremony at Kurunegala. Over 30,000 tri-service War Heroes and family members have so far received the ‘Virusara’ Privilege Card under a project of the Ranaviru Seva Authority of the State Defence Ministry and the Defence Ministry.