4750 houses out of 10,000 to be completed soon in north and east

Housing Progress ​

Based on the Cabinet Paper submitted by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Minister of National Policies, Economic Affairs, Resettlement, Rehabilitation and Northern Province Development and Youth Affairs, approval was granted in early January to construct 10,000 units of brick and mortar type houses, under an owner-driven modality at a price of Rs. 1 million per housing unit.  These houses commenced with Thai Pongal in January; the first stage of 4750 houses started under vote-on-account and construction were undertaken and payments were made on a milestone-based payment by the District and Divisional Administration, under the overall execution of Ministry of National Policies, Economic Affairs, Resettlement, Rehabilitation and Northern Province Development and Youth Affairs. Of these 4750 houses under stage I initiative, it was reported by the District Administration that 2200 housing units have already completed up to wall and roof level, with the balance 2550 already completed foundation and progressed to windows. All houses are expected to be completed by the end May 2019, said Ministry of National Policies, Economic Affairs, Resettlement and Rehabilitation, Northern Province Development and Youth Affairs Secretary V. Sivagnanasothy.

With regard to the Phase II Housing Program amounting to 5,250, budgetary provisions have already been allocated to the Ministry of National Policies, Economic Affairs, Resettlement, Rehabilitation and Northern Province Development and Youth Affairs which amounts to a total of Rs.10 Billion. 1500 houses in Jaffna (covering the newly resettled areas), 670 houses in Kilinochchi, 630 houses in Mullaitivu, 350 houses in Mannar, 450 houses in Vavuniya, 625 houses in Batticaloa, 400 houses in Trincomalee and 135 houses in Ampara are targeted to be completed by end May 2019 under the Phase I Housing Program, said Sivagnanasothy.

The 10,000 Housing Program will be fully completed by August 2019. The houses have been allocated to the beneficiaries who are internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in the welfare camps with friends and relatives, and refugee returnees who got displaced during the conflict period. The beneficiary selection process was prioritised based on a point system, giving priority to women-headed families, war widows, disabled, mine-affected families, families of missing persons, rehabilitated ex-combatants, and families living under severe poverty in sheds and huts, including families with  a large number of members and elders.  A grievance committee at District and National level has been established to look into the grievances in the selection of beneficiaries, stated Sivagnanasothy. 

Furthermore, a Cabinet Paper was submitted by Prime Minister Ranil to resettle the 381 landless families who are in the welfare camps. As there is a severe shortage of state lands in the Jaffna District, the Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval to purchase 20 perches of private land for each family, based on the Chief Valuer’s valuation. Civil society, academia and the conflict-affected community appreciated this initiative as a milestone in the reconciliation process.