Officials have been instructed to ensure that the housing project under which 4,700 houses are being constructed for the Malayagam community with Indian assistance is completed before the end of this year.

A discussion to review the progress of the housing project for the Malayagam community with Indian assistance was held this afternoon (24) at the Presidential Secretariat under the chairmanship of the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabath Chandrakeerthi.

Under the housing programme, 2,026 houses are to be provided to families identified by the National Building Research Institute (NBRI) as being at disaster risk. The remaining houses are expected to be allocated to eligible workers residing in the plantation sector, according to a statement issued by the President’s Media Division.

Accordingly, the houses will be provided to Malayagam community families living on estates belonging to 22 Regional Plantation Companies, as well as estates under the State Plantations Corporation, Janawasama and Elkaduwa Plantations.

For the construction of each house, the government of India has allocated Rs. 2.8 million, while the government of Sri Lanka has contributed Rs. 400,000.

During the discussion, Prabath Chandrakeerthi directed that land identified for the construction of houses be released without delay and that the National Building Research Institute provide the necessary reports to identify suitable land for the project.

The housing project is being implemented jointly by the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, the National Housing Development Authority, the State Engineering Corporation and the Plantation Human Development Trust.

Among those present were the Additional Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, K. S. Wijayakeerthi; the Director General (Engineering), N. D. N. Pushpakumara; the Director General (Planning), W. A. K. S. Damayanthi; the Secretary General of the Planters’ Association; and officials from the National Housing Development Authority, the State Engineering Corporation, relevant institutions and plantation companies.