New houses for plantation community on loan and grant basis

The Ministry of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development have planned to construct 1,877 new houses for the plantation community through a Plantation Human Development Trust on loan and grant basis, Cabinet Spokesperson Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said at the weekly Cabinet briefing held at the Government Information Department yesterday.

He pointed out that 1,260 houses have already been completed and 617 houses are to be finalised. A house with an area of 550 square feet built in a seven perch land will comprise of two bed rooms, living room, veranda, kitchen and an attached toilet.

The current amount allocated for a house is Rs. 515,000. Out of this sum Rs. 240,000 is given as a grant and Rs. 275,000 is given as a loan.

The proposal made by Minister of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development Palani Thigambaram to increase the above total amount as Rs. 650,000 and the grant as Rs. 310,000 and the loan amount as 340,000, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.