Priority to rehouse families displaced by tsunami and war -
Ferial Ashraff
THE need of the hour is to reconstruct houses devastated by the
tsunami and war. The Government having understood the gravity of this
problem has given priority for housing reconstruction, said Housing &
Construction Industry and Eastern Province Education & Irrigation
Development Minister Ferial Ashraff.
She was speaking at the inauguration of the Shrama Piyasa housing
program at Dehiattakandiya, Maya-Oya and Padiyatalawa in Ampara district
recently.
The Sharma Piyasa housing program will provide financial assistance
and roofing sheets to 2,000 homeless families in Ampara district to the
value of Rs. 500 million.
It is expected to construct five housing units in each Grama
Niladhari Division in the Ampara district at the initial stage and later
enable other families also to follow suit.
People living in the Eastern Province were severely affected by the
tsunami and war. Through the Shrama Piyasa program, it is expected to
facilitate the homeless families with financial assistance and roofing
sheets to construct their houses through their own labour and skills,
Ashraff said.
The government has formulated an integrated development plan for
Ampara district to resolve the core issues such as suitable lands and
infrastructure that impede housing development in the East, the Minister
said.
She said in this plan, proposals are made to make optimal use of land
and expansion of infrastructure development.
"To motivate the shelter of needy families and construct their own
houses, it was decided to grant an additional loan of Rs. 15,000 at a
nominal interest to those who complete construction within three months.
The NHDA intends in implementing this program in other districts too
based on the experience to be gained from Ampara," she said.
Ministry of Housing & Construction Industry, Eastern Province
Education and Irrigation Development Additional Secretary U.A.
Seneviratne, Director of the Housing Ministry Sunil Kannangara,
Divisional Secretary/Dehiattakandiya, NHDA Working Director, M.T.M.
Saddik, NHDA General Manager, Piyal Ganepola and NHDA Deputy General
Manager, Jinadasa Amarasinghe also participated. |