The Government has accorded the highest priority to the provision of housing and settlement facilities to low income earners in the City of Colombo and other urban zones across the island and the launch of socioeconomic processes geared towards uplifting their living standards.
The following programs will be implemented to coincide with 2014 World Habitat Day under the guidance of the Ministry of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities with the involvement of the National Housing Development Authority, Urban Settlement Development Authority, Institute for Construction Training and Development and Condominium Management Authority.
•Handing over 15 old housing schemes in the City of Colombo and the suburbs renovated under ' Nagamu Purawara' programme to their residents.
• Granting deeds to 1000 recipients of houses in the Colombo metropolitan area.
•Implementing 25 community development projects which provide health and sanitation facilities to 5000 families of urban underserved settlements.
•Establishing 25 Janasevana Swashakthi community development centres to enhance socioeconomic activities of urban underserved settlements.
•Organizing painting competitions and exhibitions for children with the aim of developing creative skills of20,000 children of urban low income families.
•Organizing children's drama competitions and drama festival to promote artistic skills of 1500 urban low income children.
•Staging "Kolamba Lamai (Children of Colombo) show with the participation of2000 children with the objective of developing aesthetic skills of the residents of underserved settlements in Colombo.
•Organizing sports festivals to develop sports skills of 2000 urban young men and women.
•Providing self-employment training to 2000 urban women under the Swashakthi Kantha Saviya programme and employment assistance and donation of equipment for 200 women.
•Renovating housing projects located in urban areas of all districts of the island with the participation of residents and conducting school seminars and community workshops at the district level on the theme of Habitat Day.
In addition to the above programmes the Condominium Property National Conference will be held with the participation of the representatives of management corporations established in multi-storeyed housing schemes in and around Colombo as well as special seminars and training programs too will be conducted.
(ST/KH)
