EU supports housing in Vavuniya

Minister of Economic Development and Senior Advisor to the President Basil Rajapaksa handed over 109 completed houses to beneficiaries at a ceremony held in Menik Farm Village in Vavuniya district last week.

This permanent housing programme is funded by the European Union and implemented by Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Deutschland (ASB) amounting to Rs 1.86 billion. The project will construct more than 2500 houses for families affected by the conflicts in the Vavuniya district. The project is carried out in line with the Northern Spring programme of the Government of Sri Lanka with the collaboration and guidance of the Ministry of Economic Development, Presidential Task Force for Resettlement, Development and Security, Northern Province and District Secretariat of Vavuniya.

The ceremony was attended by Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industries and Commerce, Major General G A Chandrasiri, Northern Province Governor, Ambassador Bernard Savage, Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives and P S M Charles, Government Agent - Vavuniya and other dignitaries and members of the community.

The European Union has already funded the construction of over 8500 permanent houses and will support the construction of up to 20,000 houses in the country by 2016.