Lankan delegation for UN Habitat confab in Kenya

by L. S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

The Janasevena million houses program and the Sri Lankan housing experience will be focused on at the United Nations Habitat 23rd Session to be held from April 11 to 15 in Nairobi, Kenya.

Over 1,000 representatives from 58 countries including Sri Lanka will attend the Nairobi Session.

Sri Lanka's delegation led by Construction, Engineering Services Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa comprises Ministry Secretary Gotabaya Jayaratna, Senior Assistant Secretary Dhammika Wijesingha, National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) Chairman Jayantha Samaraweera and General Manager NHDA L.S. Palansuriya. They left for the event this morning.

'A sustainable urban development through expanding equitable access to land, housing, basic services and infrastructure' is the theme of the Nairobi Conference, the NHDA's Palansuriya said.

He said the NHDA has provided housing facilities to over three million families during the last three decades.

With the shift of the housing policy in 1984, the NHDA provided assistance to people to construct houses to suit their needs, he said.