NHDA to construct 600,000 houses

by Uditha KUMARASINGHE

The Government has planned to construct 600,000 houses under the Mahinda Chinthana Idiri Dekma to overcome the shelter problem of the people who don't have any permanent shelter at present, within the next six years.President Mahinda Rajapaksa has given guidelines to Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa to carry out this task as planned. Minister Weerawansa has vested the responsibility on the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) to supervise and implement the housing project to meet its target within the next few years, NHDA Chairman Jayantha Samaraweera told the Sunday Observer.

In future the NHDA would be transformed into the key State mechanism which will provide solutions for the shelter problem of the people. The objective the NHDA is to meet these set targets as soon as possible.According to the Government's program to construct 600,000 houses, the key priority will be to overcome the housing problem of the people in the Northern and the Eastern provinces who had to face severe hardships due to terrorism which prevailed in those areas. An accelerated housing program will be implemented in the North and the East to provide an immediate solution to these people, he said.

Meanwhile, a large number of unauthorised dwellers in Colombo and the suburbs have faced severe hardships due to floods. Some of them living in the coastal areas have also been subjected to a similar threat.

Therefore, the Government has laid emphasis to address the housing problem of these people, he said.According to Samaraweera, the younger generation has also faced a severe housing problem, particularly the youth who live in rural areas. The Government will also take measures to provide houses to youth and a large number of people who live in rented houses in Colombo and the suburbs.