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Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has assured that the Government will initiate new urban development plans and housing projects as well as completing previous projects that had stalled across the country.
Rajapaksa had also emphasised that necessary funds for the implementation of urban development projects, including ongoing housing programs, would be allocated in the forthcoming Budget, the Prime Minister’s media unit revealed in a statement. Rajapaksa had also backed having local experts oversee the projects instead of their foreign counterparts.
Rajapaksa made these remarks at a progress review meeting held to discuss the performance of institutions operating under the purview of the Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of Housing Facilities. This progress review meeting was held last Wednesday at the Ministry of Urban Development, Water Supply and Housing Facilities located within the Suhurupaya building.
Progress on buildings, road construction, railway construction, garden design and renovations in Colombo falling under urban development, including the Colombo Port City Project, and development affairs within Anuradhapura and several cities outside Colombo were also discussed.
In line with the country’s urban development, the current status of a number of projects, including garbage disposal procedures, were scrutinised by the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Rajapaksa advised the Urban Development Authority to focus on restarting urban development projects, housing initiatives and garbage disposal processes that had stalled.
At the progress review meeting it was learned that a number of housing projects launched island-wide by the Housing Development Authority over the past four and a half years had stalled while the funds allocated for these projects had not been used to construct houses.
A sum of Rs. 26 billion was needed to complete 96,344 of house units that got off the ground and witnessed sporadic construction work over 2017, 2018 and 2019 before sputtering to a halt. The financial requirement for these constructions has not been delivered by the former Government. Expressing his thoughts on the launch of housing projects through institutes other than the Housing Development Authority or Urban Development Authority, Prime Minister Rajapaksa said the Government would work to resolve the payment issues of contractors as soon as possible. “I think this needs to change. We have to disburse money and perform work according to a proper plan. It will be hard to meet payments with what is in the Treasury. We have to make arrangements to get more funds through the Budget. We can ask money from some organisations. Perhaps we can discuss getting money owed from the Ministry of Health and ask the Ministry of Buddhist Sasana as well,” the Prime Minister said.
He also advised the UDA to build a hostel for male and female athletes residing in remote areas to live in when they are in Colombo.
The Prime Minister said steps would be taken to manufacture hospital beds within the country and stop imports. A decision was also made to award a contract for the provision and installation of doors, windows and aluminium accessories required for new apartment complexes to a State factory.
Urban Development, Water Supply and Housing Facilities Ministry Secretary Dr. Piyath Bandu Wickrama said a program had been introduced through the implementation of a proper performance appraisal procedure to achieve maximal performance from institutes functioning under the ministry.
Urban Development State Minister Gamini Lokuge and Housing Facilities State Minister Indika Anuruddha were present at the meeting along with Secretary of the State Ministry of Urban Development Senior Professor Ranjith Dissanayake, Secretary of the State Ministry of Housing Facilities S.T. Kodikara, Additional Secretaries of the Ministry of Urban Development, Water Supply and Housing Facilities and other officials.
