Housing Minister Aminath Athifa has stated that the ministry hopes to begin the handover of the Hulhumale' Hiyaa social housing units to its recipients before the end of July.
During the Parliament's National Development and Heritage Committee on Thursday, committee members expressed concern on delays in assessing the recipient list announced by the former government.
Answering questions posed by the committee members, Minister Athifa said the lists were being cross checked together with a specially formed committee at the President's Office. While the President's Office conducts assessments on the living conditions of the listed recipients, the Housing Ministry ensures that they do not own any other properties.
"The final work of the committee is assessing the living conditions. We at the ministry are doing the data processing work. We make sure they do not own any other properties elsewhere. The ministry has data on all properties in all islands of the country," said the minister.
The minister said before Male' area was placed on lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the committee had informed that the assessment work would be completed within two weeks. However, the work has been obstructed due to the lockdown, noted the minister, and added that the assessments will resume once again when the government offices open again.
The minister refrained from giving an exact date on which the assessing will be concluded. However, when asked for a probable date by which the ministry hopes to complete the work, the minister said she hopes the housing units can be handed over by July.
"..the ministry is doing the data processing work, of which 90% is now complete. Therefore, we hope we can handover the units by the end of July," said the minister.
