President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has assured flats from the Hiya housing project will be awarded to the respective tenants this year. The president made the remarks while delivering the presidential address at the Parliament of Maldives.
Noting 7,189 application forms received under the Hiya housing project have been screened, President Solih added surveying the living condition of eligible candidates are currently underway. The president acknowledged a key concern of citizens is the inability of families to own homes where they can lead dignified lives, highlighting there are more than 20,000q families in need of affordable housing in the Greater Male' Region alone. The president assured flats from the project will be awarded and handed over via a transparent procedure.
Moreover, President Solih underlined compiling a total of 5 categories to award flats have been completed, with the list of eligible candidates ready to be announced. He revealed the construction of 4,000 housing units in Hulhumale', allocated for residents of Male' City, will begin this year.
Furthermore, President Solih expressed residents who have not yet been allocated land plots from Male' will be given land plots from Hulhumale' under the Veshifahi Programme, with the process commencing this year in accordance with the agreement made between the government and the tenants. In this regard, the president highlighted several families from Maavaidhoo, Faridhoo and Kumburudhoo in Haa Dhaalu Atoll, who were relocated to Nolhivaramfaru in 2011, are yet to receive permanent housing solutions, adding the development of sixty housing units, for those mentioned, will be completed this year. The president expressed hope to have those families settled into new homes by May.
President Solih said housing development projects will begin in all parts of Maldives to provide affordable housing to all citizens.
The public has raised concerns over the delay in awarding flats under the Hiya housing project.
Although the previous government announced 7,000 housing units will be developed in Hulhumale' phase 2, Housing Development Corporation (HDC) said 6,860 housing units will be developed in phase 2. As part of the Hiya housing project, 16 towers of 25 storeys are to constructed in Hulhumale'.