Flats, land to be completed and handed over within this term: Muththalib

Housing minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib has said that flats and land allocated under the government’s housing projects will be completed and handed over within the current administration’s term.

Speaking to the press after the government opened applications for its first housing scheme today, Muththalib said no administration since 2008 had completed and handed over housing projects within its own term, but pledged that the current government would do so.

“Since 2008, no government has completed the projects it started and moved people into flats. God willing, this government will change that. Our goal is to complete these works and make them habitable,” he said.

Muththalib said land would also be handed over to recipients following registration and allocation, adding that the flat projects announced were already financed.

“With God’s grace, we will hand over the land during this term. The 7,900 flats we are announcing are fully financed,” he said.

According to the minister, the housing projects include 2,000 flats being developed through Bank of Maldives, 4,000 flats built with assistance from the Indian government, Saudi funds and other foreign aid, along with additional government-funded projects.

The Housing Ministry has opened applications for 7,900 flats and 15,000 land plots of 1,250 square feet each. Applications for flats will close at 11.59 pm on 17 April, while applications for land plots will close at 11.59 pm on 4 March.

Under the government’s housing policy, all Maldivian citizens aged 18 and above are eligible to apply through the Housing Portal.

Of the flats available, 4,000 have been allocated for Male' residents, 1,500 for non-residents, and 2,400 for special categories. These include allocations for government institutions, police, MNDF, Maldives Correctional Service employees, single parents, fishermen, tourism workers and taxi drivers.

A total of 10,000 land plots have been allocated for Male' residents. Of these, 7,000 plots are reserved for those registered as residents of a Male' household since birth, 1,000 plots for those listed in the Male' Residence Register, and 2,000 plots for those registered as Male' residents later.

A further 3,000 plots have been allocated for residents of other islands living in Male', 500 plots for individuals deprived of land ownership due to inheritance issues, and 1,500 plots for applicants seeking land exchanges due to plots being located on narrow streets.

The policy also allows residents from other islands to apply for land if they have lived in Male' for at least 15 years. Certain periods spent outside Male', including for work-related reasons, will be considered under the continuous residency criteria.

Points for flats and land allocations will be based on factors including length of residence in Male', income level, number of children, children with special needs, medical infertility, and whether the applicant owns land.