Over 60,000 houses for displaced

by P. Krishnaswamy

The main priority of my Ministry is solving the housing problem of the displaced and homeless families of the Northern region, Minister Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Affairs D.M.Swaminathan told the Sunday Observer. He said discussions have already commenced with the European Union (EU) to obtain a 15- year- soft loan to construct 60,000 houses with wells, solar panels and other infrastructure facilities.

Proposals on this will be submitted to President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Cabinet for approval, he said.

Discussions are also underway with a reputed international construction company on entrusting the housing construction project at a comparatively lower cost, the Minister said.

The second project is in the pipeline to star agricultural farms to provide livelihood assistance to the Northern and Eastern agricultural families. Several areas in Vavuniya and Kilinochchi, where the soil is fertile, have been earmarked with more similar lands to be identified in the near future, he said.

Discussions are underway with Thailand to obtain assistance and support for projects as well, he said, adding that foreign direct investment should be attracted.

Consolidating and up-dating the fisheries sector to enhance livelihood and socio-economic welfare of the fisher communities of the North and the East with foreign assistance is also a priority, he said.