More IDPs in Jaffna Get Housing Facilities

The second phase of the ‘Nallinakkapuram’ Housing Complex which provides 25 new houses for one more segment of most deserving displaced families, still languishing in Jaffna-based welfare centres, was vested in the beneficiaries on Friday (30) during a simple ceremony at ‘Nallinakkapuram’ village in Jaffna.

Those 25 new house recipients were also provided with ownership documents during a simple ceremony held on Friday (30) at the Nallinakkapuram' village.

The housing project is an extension of the Keeramalai Housing Project and was completed as the second phase of the project. Construction work was carried out as a collective effort of the Joint Project Management Team (JPMT), comprised of Army, Navy, Air Force personnel and members of the beneficiaries.

As in the Keeramalai project, each housing unit is built on a 20-perch land and costs the state Rs. 1 million. A typical house comes complete with two bed rooms, living and dining area, kitchen, toilet and a bathroom. In addition to water and electricity supply to each house, public facilities such as roads, community center, drain systems and a water purification plant are also available in the project.

Friday’s handover ceremony, graced by Mr. Nagalingham Vethanayahan, District Secretary for Jaffna as the Chief Guest was organized by the project’s heavyweight, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, Commander of the Army who was also the live-wire behind the realization of the Keeramalai project when he was the Jaffna Commander and Major General Darshana Hettiarachchi, Commander, Security Forces - Jaffna, Senior military Officers and members of the beneficiary families.

Earlier, the Keeramalai Housing Project was declared open by President Maithripala Sirisena in October 2016. One hundred displaced families living in welfare centres in the Peninsula were provided with new houses under the project. Carried out under the reconciliation programme, the project was aimed at providing suitable housing solutions to all IDP families living in welfare centers.

Senior government officers, Major General Roshan Seneviratne, General Officer Commanding, 51 Division, Senior Officers were also associated with the occasion.