Aug 06, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government has allocated 3.7 billion rupees to provide relief for the people affected by the current drought weather conditions.

However, the Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera says more monies would have to be allocated as the areas being affected by the drought were increasing.

The Minister has said that the current dry weather conditions have affected over 20,000 farmers and over 16,000 acres of paddy land have been destroyed by the drought in the North Central and North Western Provinces.

According to Amaraweera there was likelihood for additional allocations to be made to provide relief to the increasing number of persons being affected.

President Mahinda Rajapakse has instructed Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S.M Chandrasena to provide speedy relief to the drought affected farmer community.

Farmers in five drought-affected districts will be provided necessary chemical fertilizer and seed paddy free of charge for the next Maha season in addition to 6,000 rupees given for each drought affected farmer family.

Minister Chandrasena said that relief will be provided to the affected families before the 15th of next month.

Relief to the drought affected is being provided by the Ministries of Irrigation and Water Resources Management, Economic Development, Agriculture, Agrarian Services and Wildlife and Disaster Management.