To avoid further delays, the government is only evaluating and verifying the credibility of recipients on the list gazetted on 15 November 2023, the Minister of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure Dr Abdulla Muththalib has confirmed.
The former administration led by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) initiated the development of 4,000 flats in Hulhumale' under the Gedhoruveriyaa Scheme.
However, the project remained incomplete at the end of the term. Just two days before the conclusion of then-President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s term, the government released a final list of flat recipients.
Of the more than 20,000 people who applied for the Gedhoruveriyaa scheme, the then government had deemed about 15,000 people eligible. However, on 15 November 2023, the then government had only gazetted a list of recipients for the 4,000 flats.
Minister Muththalib said the government is currently working on a review process to authenticate the eligibility of the recipients from the list.
He noted that the review process did not extend to the 15,000 people deemed eligible for social housing flats by the then government.
The Minister insisted that the government was only verifying the authenticity of the documents submitted by the recipients.
“This process is not evaluating all who had applied for the scheme. We are looking at who among the 4,000 people in the recipients actually deserve a flat. Which of the recipients had falsified documents or have been wrongfully awarded points. Everyone on the list for the 4,000 flats will get an answer from this review process,” Muththalib explained.
He said the Ministry would publicise a provisional list which will be followed by a period for complaints or grievances.
According to the Minister, this verification process will determine if the recipients on that list meet all the criteria of the Gedhoruveriyaa scheme which was gazetted on 26 June 2022.
The Minister said documents submitted by applicants to prove that they have been living in the capital Male’ for 15 years will also be verified.
However, the Ministry has now amended the criteria for requirement of residency in Male’. Before the change, people who had left Male’ for a prolonged period, for medical care, education or employment were deemed ineligible.
But the change has now extended the period of residency in Male’ to a period of 12 months.
Muththalib noted that despite the criteria stipulating that only six types of documents will be deemed as proof, some applicants had submitted documents outside that criteria to prove residency.
The Ministry under the advise of the Attorney General has decided to reject documents issued by local councils to prove residency, as local councils are not authorised to maintain official records of residents in respective islands.
As promised by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu last week, the Ministry is putting in every effort to handover the flats before the upcoming Holy month of Ramadan in early March.