Minister of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure, Dr Abdulla Muththalib provided crucial clarifications regarding eligibility criteria for the government’s housing scheme, addressing concerns over land ownership and inheritance.
According to the Minister, applicants can only qualify if they do not currently own any registered land in their name, including plots exceeding 400 square feet. Additionally, future inheritance—such as parental land—does not disqualify applicants unless the property is officially registered under their ownership.
“If no decision has been made on the distribution of inherited land or no legal action has been taken, the applicant’s eligibility remains unaffected,” he explained.
Minister Muththalib emphasised that the government will not confiscate any land voluntarily relinquished under these conditions, nor will it consider speculative future ownership.
The verification process relies on city councils and the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) for property records, though the Minister acknowledged difficulties in verifying land ownership in the Atolls. Applicants will receive immediate feedback on eligibility upon submission, with document authentication to follow swiftly.
To date, over 3,600 applications have been filed for 15,000 plots and 7,900 flats. The Minister urged transparency, warning against false submissions.