Flat issuance for eligible applicants to begin next week

Housing Minister Dr. Ali Haidar said on Tuesday that the issuance of flats for the 20 percent of applicants on the list of the recipients of the first 4,000 units under the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ housing scheme – who the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) declared as eligible – will begin next week.

On February 5, the ACC, which is investigating complaints of irregularities in the award of flats under the scheme, said that nearly 60 percent of applicants on the list were ineligible.

Only a little over 20 percent of applicants were found to be eligible, while the remaining applicants were found to be eligible, but failed to properly fill out the forms.

Haidar told the Parliament’s National Development and Heritage Committee on Tuesday that the Housing Ministry has not received access to the ‘Gedhoruverin’ portal, delaying issuance of flats to the applicants who passed the ACC assessment.

Haidar said that earlier this week, the ACC said it would give ministry access to the portal “within two to three days” after the commission creates a backup.

“We are working to issue flats to eligible applicants as soon as possible,” he said.

Haidar, who was reappointed as the housing minister after failing a parliamentary approval vote last month – mainly due to this very scheme - told the committee that once the ministry receives access to the portal, it will identify the eligible applicants, verify their eligibility, and begin issuing the flats.

Haidar said he expects to receive access early next week, adding that the eligibility of the applicants will be verified by an independent committee.

He said that he excepts to begin the issuance of flats to the 824 eligible applicants next week, and complete the process within two weeks.

Haidar said that ineligible applicants will not receive the flats, though they may have been on the list of recipients.

“I believe that you yourself must agree that it does not make sense to issue [flats] to individual who are clearly ineligible,” said Haidar, adding that the Housing Ministry has the authority to cancel agreements with ineligible applicants.

ACC received 325 complaints in response to the list of recipients of the first 4,000 flats under the scheme, being developed by the Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation (FDC) in Hulhumale’.

The ACC had previously ordered the suspension of issuance of flats under the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ scheme, following complaints of irregularities in the award of the first flats.

The corruption watchdog lifted the suspension on February 1, instructing the Housing Ministry to abide by certain rules while issuing the flats.

The commission told the Housing Ministry to revise flagged applications without making changes to the applications that were awarded points in accordance with ACC’s policies and criteria, and to maintain uniformity in making decisions where the policies do not provide explicit instructions.

The ACC has also opened an investigation into possible irregularities in the award of land under the ‘Binveriya’ scheme, another housing scheme launched during the previous administration.