For the first time in the history of Sri Lanka, the government is providing ‘Preksha’ insurance cover for artists in the field of stage drama, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs said yesterday, March 16.
The Prime Minister made this revelation at a ceremony held to launch the ‘Preksha’ Accident and Medical Insurance scheme for stage artists.
Organized by the State Ministry of National Heritage, Performing Arts and Rural Art Promotion and the Tower Hall Theater Foundation, Preksha Accident and Medical Insurance is implemented by Janashakthi Insurance.
Accordingly, the insurance will provide Rs. 200,000 in case of death of a member, Rs. 600,000 in case of accidental death, Rs. 400,000 in case of full time disability, Rs. 300,000 in case of critical illness, Rs. 150,000 per year in non-paying hospitalization, and up to Rs. 15,000 per annum for OPD treatment.
The Prime Minister symbolizing the awarding of ‘Preksha’ Accidents and Medical Insurance coverage presented insurance certificates to senior artists in the field of stage drama.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said the Tower Hall Theater Foundation, of which he is the chairman, is a Sri Lankan representative of the International Drama Institute, which deals with the art of drama in Sri Lanka.
“At a time when the whole world was in the throes of a catastrophe due to the Covid-19 epidemic, artists in all media and those arts were in a severe crisis. At such a juncture, I am pleased to be able to consider the request of Sri Lankan artists and uplift their lives by providing a loan of Rs. 500,000 at a concessionary interest rate to uplift their lives,” the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister also said:
“When the shooting of the teledrama was stopped due to the Covid-19 epidemic, we gave the opportunity to shoot the teledrama subject to quarantine rules and health guidelines. As a result, they had the opportunity to continue shooting for the teledrama. In the face of the Covid crisis, stage playwrights did not have the opportunity to stage their plays.
The Audience Theater Festival, organized by the Tower Hall Theater Foundation at a time when their audiences are away from theaters, is a great achievement for us to enable playwrights, actors as well as audiences to bring their lives back to normal. You all know that it brought about a new awakening in the art of drama.
In the face of the second Covid plague, when all the arts collapsed again, their living standards collapsed to the lowest level. In such a situation, we introduced this Preksha insurance policy for 500 dramatists at the full expense of the government. This is the first time in the history of Sri Lanka that the government has provided this insurance coverage, which is paid for by the government. It is a unique insurance policy. It provides benefits for both in-patient and out-of-hospital care.
This is a special insurance policy that gives them special relief in case of sudden death. I sincerely wish you the strength, courage and health to nurture the art of drama in Sri Lanka by taking care through the policy”.
The Premier thanked Vidura Wickramanayake, State Minister of Promotion, National Heritage, Performing Arts and Rural Artists, who was instrumental in providing the Preksha insurance, his Ministry staff all the staff members of the Tower Hall Theater Foundation Board of Trustees and the Janashakthi Insurance for providing the insurance.
