Govt. increases housing grants for war-affected families in North and East

Wednesday, 4 June 2025 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa

Cabinet approves to increase grant for construction of a 550 sq. ft. house from Rs. 1.1 m to Rs. 1.5 m and for a 340 sq. ft. house from Rs. 650,000 to Rs. 900,000
Aims to reduce financial burden on conflict-affected families, leaving them to contribute only Rs. 100,000 or Rs. 50,000
Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa says so far, 274,728 families have been resettled, with 150,488 houses built across eight districts
Notes estimated 16,759 houses still need to be constructed for families displaced prior to 2009

By Charumini de Silva

The Cabinet of Ministers at their meeting on Monday approved an increase in the financial grants provided by the Government for the ongoing housing reconstruction program in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

This move aims to improve along with the rising costs of construction materials and ensure continued support for families affected by the decades-long civil conflict.

“The Government will offer an increased grant of Rs. 1.5 million for the construction of a 550 square foot house and Rs. 900,000 for a 340 square foot house. These figures represent a substantial increase from the previous allocations of Rs. 1.1 million and Rs. 650,000 respectively,” Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.

According to updated assessments, the current average cost of constructing a 550 square foot house stands at Rs. 1.6 million, while a 340 square foot house now costs around Rs. 950,000 — a reflection of the recent surge in building material prices. The revised grant structure is expected to bridge the funding gap and support affected families in completing their homes.

He said the decision comes amid efforts to complete the resettlement and rehabilitation process for those displaced during the 30-year conflict that devastated large parts of the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

Dr. Jayatissa said by the end of last year, a total of 274,728 families comprising 914,722 individuals had been resettled in the region with 150,488 new houses already allocated across eight districts.

Despite significant progress, the Government has identified that an additional 16,759 houses still need to be constructed to accommodate core families displaced before 2009.

When asked if there were more such houses to be built for people in the two provinces, Dr. Jayatissa affirmed that these were the only statistics they have received so far.

He said the housing initiative, launched in collaboration with the Indian Government and various Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have financed the construction of these new houses.

The proposal to this effect submitted by Urban Development, Construction and Housing Minister Anura Karunathilaka was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.