Responding to a question raised by UNP Colombo District MP Ravi Karunanayake on Thursday in Parliament, the minister said the distance from home to the university, the income status of parents, students with special needs such as disabilities and sicknesses, and students excel in sports participating in national and international games and sports would be taken into consideration when hostel facilities were provided. No hostel facilities were provided to the students of the Open University of Sri Lanka. All bhikkhu and male undergraduates of the Buddhist and Pali University and Sri Lanka Buddhasravaka Bhikksu University were provided with hostel facilities, the minister said.

The Ministry of Higher Education had launched an expedited project to construct new hostels for several universities. Under the project 60 new hostels each comprising four-storey building would be constructed in two phase. They would enable 24,000 to obtain hostel facilities. The first phase of the project commenced in September 2013 was scheduled to complete in September this year with 30 new hostels. The second phase would commence October this year and complete constructing 30 more buildings by October, 2015, the minister said adding that the government spent Rs 13.8 bullion for the purpose. (Special Reporter)