Housing Development Authority for East

The Eastern Provincial Council will set up a separate authority to address housing and livelihood issues affecting the people of that region. Accordingly, the Council will set up a Housing Development Authority to implement a housing development program for the Province.

Provincial Minister of Road Development, Housing and Construction, Rural Electrification and Water Supply, M.S. Uthumalebbe said that the setting up of such an authority will facilitate the successful implementation of the Province's housing development program with funds raised locally and internationally.

He said that while there are separate departments under his Ministry which are in charge of road development, irrigation and electricity, there is no department to handle housing development.

Uthumalebbe said though the National Housing Development Authority, which comes under the Central Government, is in charge of housing constructions island-wide, a separate housing development authority should be established at provincial level to implement housing construction projects.

The draft proposal to set up the authority was submitted to the Eastern Provincial Council last week.