First recipients will receive their land plots from Addu City as early as next week.
Eight months after initially publishing the list of eligible applicants, Mayor of Addu City Ali Nizar has announced that the recipients of land plots being given from the southern most atoll of Maldives will receive their lands next week.
The list of all eligible applicants was published by the council on 17th August 2023. Since there was only a limited number of land plots available at the time and all eligible applicants were promised a plot by the council, a draw was taken last February for the first 500 recipients to receive their lands.
When asked about the delay in the handover process, Mayor Nizar said that the necessary preparations are now done and that the distribution process will commence next week.
"Various things happened which delayed the land distribution. That [includes] the presidential elections, parliamentary elections, council members contesting for parliament and many different situations [as such] delayed [the process]," he said.
He also added that the plots to be assigned have been cleared up and prepared.
Applications for these land plots were opened up in February of 2023. However, only 1,000 slots were announced, which were 500 (1,500 sqft) from Hithadhoo, 300 (1,500 sqft) from Feydhoo and 100 each from Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo which would be 2,000 sqft in size.
A total of 4,160 individuals applied for these lands in Addu, out of which 3,972 were deemed eligible, who will all receive lands as promised by Addu City Council.