FDC flats point awarding details now on portal

Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (MNPHI) has announced that details of how points were awarded in allocating Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation's 4000 flats will be published on their portal from today.

Following public discontent after the publishing of the permanent list of flat recipients for the 4000 flats under the government's Gedhoruveriya housing scheme, the ministry has previously opened a complaints window which will be open until next Thursday. However, the majority of concerns raised by the public involve the lack of transparency in how points were awarded to applicants.

Housing Ministry's Senior Executive Director Mohamed Arif said in a press conference that the ministry is working out a way to make the point awarding process for each recipient available for the person to view.

On the publicizing of the temporary list of flat recipients, the only details offered were that they fulfilled the conditions necessary to be eligible for flats. To find out the points scored, recipients had to visit the portal. When the permanent list of recipients was released, the list included the final number of points scored by each recipient. While the process of awarding points was previously announced, details of point allocation in the case of separate recipients were not revealed.

"This scheme does not allow any possibilities for the ministry to allocate extra points to any recipient," Arif stated.

He stated that complaints can be submitted at any time through the portal.

In the Gedhoruveriya scheme, 13000 applicants are eligible for receiving flats. The ministry has now announced recipients of the first 4000 flats that this government will be issuing. Applicants who received upwards of 76 points will be allocated a three bedroom flat, while those who scored more than 73 points will be given two bedroom flats.

Members of the public gathered at the premises of the Housing Ministry on Monday to raise concerns about the awarding of flats. Their main demand was for the ministry to reveal details of how the points were awarded.