Chamber eager to build housing for middle-class

The Chamber of Construction Industry has offered the government to catalyse the acceleration of affordable housing for low and middle income group employees of the government and corporate sector.

The Chamber has already indicated to the Ministry in-charge of Housing and Construction that it would assume the responsibility for additional 25,000 units to the housing stock of the nation if the Ministry could provide lands.

CEO of the Chamber, Dakshitha Talgodapitiya said the corporate membership of the Chamber possesses the expertise and the capacity for successful implementation of this program with domestic capital formation and has requested early attention to ensure realisation of the political vision pronounced by the government.

The shortage of houses is estimated to go over 650,000 units by year 2010 while the current shortage is said to be around 450,000.

The Chamber has proposed to the government as its uncompromising goal is to make decent and affordable housing available to people in a clean and safe environment to accept proposals of the private sector to provide affordable housing. Because the performance of the state sector in the provision of affordable housing for low and middle income groups has not been impressive.

The Chamber has also identified unutilised lands owned by state and Para Statal agencies in the Greater Colombo area which could be developed as housing and urban centres which could be the major driving force for expansion of the service sector.

(RK)