Sri Lankan government has announced a relief package for the last month's Tsunami tidal wave victims, officials said Monday.

Tilak Ranaviraja, the Commissioner General of Essential Services, said Monday that the relief package was aimed at resuming normal life and engaging in their vocations for affected people.

The Finance Minister Sarath Amunugama announced Sunday that 5,000 rupee (about 51 US dollars) is to be provided to each affected family while a relief package amounting to 375 rupee (about 4 US dollars) per week is to be distributed among the displaced persons over a period of eight weeks.

Ranaviraja said "Tsunami relief ration card" that would be issued to over 800,000 displaced persons will allocate a basket of essential food items.

The government is also to provide cash to the affected families to purchase kitchen utensils and basic furniture.

They will also be exempted from paying bills for utilities such as water and electricity at the moment. School children will be provided with stationery, shoes and books.

Partially destroyed houses in higher elevations will be rebuilt from financial assistance from government.

Commercial bank's loan underwritten by the government will be made available to relaunch small and medium scale industries affected by the tragedy.

Ranaviraja who is also the Secretary to the Ministry of Law and Order said the police have been strictly asked to implement the 100 meter rule where no constructions would be permitted within 100 meters of the coast.

He said the death toll in the Dec. 26 tragedy has now reached 38,195 and expected it to reach 40,000 as more and more bodies are being pulled from the rubble.

(Xinhua News Agency January 17, 2005)