Sri Lanka to hand over 5,000 state-assisted homes

The Sri Lankan government is scheduled to hand over 5,000 state-assisted houses to beneficiaries on October 5 to mark World Habitat Day. The event, held under the theme ‘A Safe Home for All’, will feature Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya as the chief guest.

Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply, Dr. H. M. Susil Ranasinghe, announced that the initiative prioritizes low-income families and those in the Northern and Eastern provinces who lost homes during the war. The government aims to construct 30,000 houses by December 31.

Financial details of the programme include Rs. 1.5 million per house under the ‘Yathiwara Ma Piya’ programme, and Rs. 2 million for homes constructed for children in institutional care. Additionally, families who completely lost homes due to Cyclone Ditwah are eligible for Rs. 5 million. The government has also allocated Rs. 500 million for housing loans for government employees, with the state covering four percentage points of the interest rate.