The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam

¶ 01 Before my supplementary, I must say: if answers were provided to our Questions, these issues would not arise.

¶ 02 Good. I will proceed. Even about 50 per cent of my Question was not answered, but I will not ask you to repeat it. Please allow Members a moment to speak.

¶ 03 Hon. Deputy Minister, I was first elected in 2020. Since then I have consistently raised issues concerning the National Housing Development Authority in Batticaloa. When Hon. Sajith Premadasa was Minister of Housing, many projects were implemented in the North and East through the NHDA. After the Gotabaya Government came in 2020, those programmes were halted simply because they were initiated by Sajith Premadasa. Even after your Government assumed office in 2024, you are proceeding with “one house per village”, building one or two houses per village.

¶ 04 Over 133 model village projects in Batticaloa remain incomplete. More than 3,000 houses are stuck at foundation, lintel or roofing stage. Beneficiaries are the homeless in the North and East. Even after 6–10 years, they remain debtors.

¶ 05 In your reply you said you have requested funds to complete these houses. Hon. Deputy Minister, as Deputy Minister you should state: the allocation to your Ministry this year; that 3,300 houses must be completed; that 1,000 will be completed in 2026, another 1,000 in 2027, another 1,000 in 2028, and all 3,300 by 2029. If you state that, this Question will not arise.

¶ 06 My first supplementary: At least in your tenure, give us a work plan and time schedule to complete these houses — what will be done this month and within the next six months. Otherwise, people in the North and East will continue to live as debtors.

¶ 07 Thank you, Hon. Deputy Minister. In Vavunativu, Vakarai and similar areas where many people live, please pay special attention. My second supplementary will be asked by Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran.