Estate housing target on schedule

Walter LIYANARACHCHI

The targetted number of total estate houses to be built during this year could be met, a National Housing Development Authority official said.

The total number of estate houses projected for line dwellers this year is 2463 costing Rs. 257 million.The Nation Building Ministry will provide the funds and the Authority will deal with construction work under the guidance of Housing and Common Amenities Ministry, he said.

The Authority provides a loan amounting to Rs. 100,000 and a grant of Rs. 83,000 per dweller. The work progress of each house is monitored by the Co-operative Societies of the respective district.

The 'Mahinda Chintana' policy statement of the Government specifies the need to uplift the lifestyle of the estate workers and to provide a separate house for each family throughout the country. The projects are scattered in 12 districts including the Nuwara Eliya district where the maximum number of houses are to be built.