No issue in giving free plots to Male' residents: Muththalib

Minister of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure Dr. Abdulla Muththalib has stated today that if free housing is provided to islands, then it should be done so for Male' residents who do not have their own housing.

The minister said this after he had stated in Parliament in the past that he does not believe giving free housing to those who are experiencing housing difficulties in the Male' region over the long term is possible.

During a Parliamentary hearing in April, Muththalib stated that it is not a feasible solution to housing issues to provide state land, and appealed to the Parliament to come up with an alternative solution.

During yesterday's press conference held by the Housing Ministry, a journalist had asked a question regarding the government's decision in giving away free plots even after Muththalib had made such statements. The journalist asked why is work not being done to remedy it if giving away free plots is not right.

Muththalib replied stating that it is his opinion that he does not believe that anything should be given away for free after government expenditure and effort.

However, citizens do believe that granting state land has been a common practice recently, is a fundamental right of housing and so state land should be granted for residential purposes.

Muththalib stated that land is reclaimed at vast government expenses but the land is granted for free. And if that is so, he believes that land reclaimed in Male' should be granted as well.

"Land is being reclaimed on islands. Land being reclaimed at islands is not that much cheaper than land being reclaimed at Male'. The expenses are the same. The plots are being given from islands before they are even being reclaimed. We reclaimed Maafushi. The council has given away all the plots before we were even able to put beds. It is being given away for free," said Muththalib.

"So as per that regulation, Male' residents should also be given plots if land is being reclaimed."

As per Muththalib, granting state land has been a common practice since the distant past, and is a fundamental right of housing.

"As per that regulation, doing as such in Male' is something I do not believe in and find issue in, if the government can award plots after land reclamation," said Muththalib.

The minister stated that 15,000 plots are to be given from an 11,000 hectare plot of land under that regulation.

As per Muththalib, it has not been stated that granting state land at the government policy level is wrong. However, he believes that if it is to be done in a feasible manner, the amount of land that is being reclaimed needs to have the proper funds acquired in order for the project to move forward.

"Even so, that is how it is being done in the islands. How is it that residents are for example being given plots in islands when the land has not been reclaimed yet. The question arises whether those plots can even be bought," said the minister.

Muththalib stated that state land is being provided in islands, it is an issue in Male' due to the land value in Male' being high. However, he highlighted that it is not an issue, saying that developing the plots, providing housing and economic benefits will only aid families.

"And so what I am saying is that if it is done so in islands, it is not a problem to do so in Male'. Developing it for citizens, providing housing and economic benefits will only aid families," said the minister.

The government's policy is, as the minister says, to provide free housing to those who cannot afford it.

"And so it is the government's belief and policy that those who can afford can only buy plots from prime locations. Even then, providing free plots to the public who have no housing is the government's direction," said Muththalib.