A nationwide housing project to build 35,000 homes for homeless families has been launched, Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Dr. Susil Ranasinghe said.
The Ministry alone will provide houses for 12,000 families this year, he revealed while attending a media and technical skill development training programme for regional young journalists at the National Youth Services Council in Maharagama recently.
Minister Ranasinghe said all 12,000 housing units under his Ministry would be built through non-repayable housing grants of either Rs. 1 million or Rs 1.5 million each, forming part of the broader 35,000 home project being implemented collaboratively across several government authorities.
He said that the Buddhasasana Ministry would lead construction of housing for the homeless parents of ordained monks, while the Women and Child Affairs Ministry would oversee housing for vulnerable children.
He said that the Samurdhi Department would handle construction for eligible Samurdhi beneficiary families, and that the Estate Infrastructure Development Ministry would carry out a separate housing programme for the plantation community.
The Minister also noted that Rs. 500,000 had been provided for each of 5,000 homes damaged by Cyclone Ditwah, with repair work now under way to restore housing for affected families across the country.
