COLOMBO, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will begin a large-scale housing program this month, a deputy minister said on Tuesday.
Deputy Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply T.B. Sarath said the initiative, titled "A Place to Belong, a Beautiful Life," aims to construct more than 31,000 new homes by the end of 2026 for low-income families, public-sector workers, and conflict-affected communities in the Northern and Eastern provinces.
The program is expected to be the country's largest residential development completed within a single year, said Sarath.
Eligible persons will receive financial grants ranging from 1 million rupees (about 3,200 U.S. dollars) to 2.7 million rupees (about 8,700 dollars), depending on regional conditions and construction needs, he said.
Sarath said the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply is also drafting a comprehensive national housing policy to guide long-term sector planning. The policy is being prepared with the involvement of technical experts and partner organizations, according to the ministry, he said.
The project will formally commence on Jan. 16 with the distribution of initial funding checks to beneficiaries in the Jaffna peninsula, he said. ■
