'About 25,000 houses constructed in 2011'

Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa told Parliament yesterday that the government has constructed 25,000 new houses in 2011 and was hoping to build another 50,000 houses next year.

Participating in the third reading debate on budget 2012, the minister said one of the main objectives of the government is the provision of permanent housing for over 1.5 million people who are without a house of their own under the Mahinda Chintana - Future Vision.

The one million Jana Sevana housing and settlement development programme is being implemented under the guidance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to offer a permanent solution to this problem instead of a short-lived one.

"My ministry took the initiative to construct 6,389 houses in 2009 and 6,547 in 2010. It is of significance that the ministry was able to make necessary interventions in the construction of 25,000 new houses throughout the country this year with the inception of the one million Jana Sevana housing and settlement development programme.

"Multi-storey housing schemes which have been neglected for 30-40 years, are being renovated while improving their common facilities.

In addition, a host of programmes are underway to construct new flats to replace low-facility tenement settlements in the city of Colombo along with measures to upgrade the living standards of their residents with special emphasis on children's education.

SM, IR and DM