The signing of the flat agreements under the Gedhoruveriyaa Scheme will begin next week under a streamlined arrangements, the Minister of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure Dr Abdulla Muththalib has said. The Minister made the remarks while responding to a citizen’s question at the Ahaa forum held on Monday.
The Housing Minister had earlier stated that agreement signing flat recipients would begin during the first week of July. However, the public has been expressing concern over delays in the process.
Responding to the concerns, the Minister said that the list of confirmed flat recipients is being finalised after considering the complaints submitted regarding the interim flat list. The Minister said the process is taking a considerable amount of time as it takes time to verify and validate the information submitted by applicants through various government agencies.
The Minister emphasised that the agreement signing process is not a task that can be easily conducted within the Ministry’s offices. Special arrangements are therefore being made to manage the process efficiently, he stated. As these processes are being carried out simultaneously, the agreement signing will begin this month as previously promised by the government, he assured.
"With all these efforts, the signing of the agreement will start next week. The Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation (FDC) is making the necessary arrangements. As mentioned earlier, the agreements will be signed and the flat handover process will begin this month,” the Minister said.
Due to serious concerns raised over the allocation process of flats under the 4,000-housing unit project, the government formed a special committee to review the matter. While several individuals on the interim list do not meet the eligibility requirements, the committee has provided the opportunity for the public to respond and submit complaints on the list. The government is now reviewing the complaints received to this list.
The government has not compiled a new list of flat recipients, and instead, the existing list issued by the previous government on 15 November, 2023 is being reviewed to verify whether those listed qualify for flats under the programme.
At the forum, the Minister further stated that the proposed Housing Bill, currently submitted to the Parliament, will help eliminate the submission of false information in housing applications, and bring fairness to the allocation process. He noted that a large number of applicants submit false information on their applications in hopes of scoring more points, including information on their current living conditions that do not give a true picture of their place of residence. The Minister said such actions often result in those in genuine need of housing being overlooked, adding that the Housing Bill seeks to put a stop to such actions with a robust system established for awarding points, he added.
The Minister stressed that housing projects should be based on the living conditions and financial situation of individuals, and allocated under a comprehensive policy.
The Minister also addressed concerns raised by the public regarding the current point system, which gives fewer points to applicants with no children. He confirmed that President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has already decided to take into consideration the situation of childless couples and reform the point system for housing projects to accommodate them. A special criteria will be established for awarding marks to those who do not have children, he said.
"If you are married and have no children for a certain period of time, you will be eligible for points with a doctor's note. This is not something under their control, and it should not become a reason to deny them housing,” the Minister said.
Organised by the President's Office in collaboration with Public Service Media (PSM), the Alaa forum series allows direct interaction between government officials and the public.