Under the first stage, construction of 200 estate houses in Delkin Estate in Baduraliya and Kiriwanaganga Estate in Deniyaya was commenced during the event. The project is being carried out under the directions of the Secretary Defence and Urban Development Gotabaya Rajapaksa in accordance with the Mahinda Chinthana Policy Manifesto.

Each two storied housing unit consists of spacious living area, bed room and pantry with all amenities including proper sanitary facilities and costs approximately Rs. 1.2 million. The visionary measure was initiated to uplift the living standards of these estate workers seeing their immense contribution to strengthen the economy of the country. The estate housing programme is implemented in keeping with the President's pledged the construction of 50,000 houses for estate workers in the 2014 budget proposal. The contribution of the estate sector to the national economy is considerable and the government hopes to fulfil the housing needs of the estate workers through this project.

Deputy Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs  Wijaya Dahanayake, Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries Earl Gunasekara, Chairperson of Urban Development Authority Nimal Perera, Estate Superintendents and a large gathering of estate workers were present at the event.(MoD/KH)