Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has revealed that many housing projects in the atolls are nearing completion. The government is building around 2,000 housing units in the atolls.
Speaking to PSM News, Senior Executive Director at the Planning Ministry Mohamed Arif said next year’s state budget is crucial for completing the housing projects. He highlighted that some housing projects had been at a standstill when President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih assumed office and that his administration had immediately determined the cause of the standstill and resumed the projects. As such, he said projects to build 505 housing units had resumed and that residents are now living in 150 of the units. He detailed that 105 housing units will be given to residents of Kulhudhuffushi City soon, while the project to build 100 units in Nolhivaranfaru is in the evaluation stage and a contractor has been hired to build 50 housing units on the island. He added that 50 housing units have been given to residents of Thulhaadhoo.
Furthermore, Arif said the government allocated funds in the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) budget for the development of 1,900 housing units in 22 islands and that the projects will continue without a halt in accordance with next year’s state budget in order to give most of the housing units under development in the atolls to residents by mid-2023. He assured that the essential services will be available in the housing units and that the areas will be comfortable places for residents.
The planning ministry has cited challenges in giving out housing units built under projects that commenced in 2012, as essential services such as electricity and sewerage were not available in the areas.