The Housing Ministry has announced that the new list of recipients for flats under the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ housing scheme is now open for complaints, following a review process that began after concerns were raised over the original list.
‘Gedhoruveriya’, a social housing initiative originally launched by the former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration, aims to address the country’s housing crisis. The first 4,000 units under this project were built in Hulhumale’ Phase II by the Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation (FDC). However, after the list of recipients was published at the tail end of the previous administration, it came under scrutiny for alleged irregularities and corruption in the allocation of flats.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) intervened, halting the issuance of flats as it investigated the allegations. Following the investigation, the Housing Ministry received approval in February 2024 to proceed with the distribution, prompting a thorough verification of the original list.
The new list, which has now been finalized, was released last Thursday after this verification process. It identifies 1,820 rightful recipients for the flats, as opposed to the original 4,939 deemed eligible under the previous list.
The ministry has made it clear that the new list is open for public complaints until the end of March. Those who wish to file complaints can do so through the Gedhoruveriya Portal, or by emailing [email protected]. Additionally, non-applicants or those wishing to provide further information can send their complaints via letter to the Housing Ministry. For more details, the Housing Ministry can be contacted at the numbers 4004910 or 4004911.
According to the Ministry, the first batch of 4,000 flats under the scheme consists of 1,250 two-bedroom units and 2,750 three-bedroom units. The eligibility for the flats was initially based on a point system published in the Government Gazette in 2022. To qualify for the two-bedroom flats, applicants needed a minimum of 73 points, while those applying for three-bedroom flats required a minimum of 76 points. The remaining three-bedroom flats were to be distributed through a draw among applicants who scored 75 points or more.
Upon review, it was found that only 1,820 applicants from the original 4,939 are eligible for the flats. Of these, 397 applicants qualified for the two-bedroom units, and 1,423 applicants were eligible for the three-bedroom units. The remaining flats will be allocated to other applicants from the pool of 15,000 who had applied but were not included in the original list.
Minister of Housing, Dr. Abdulla Muthalib, explained that the Ministry had reviewed only the 4,939 applications from the original list of recipients, and that work is ongoing to evaluate the additional 15,000 applicants for further flat allocations.
This move comes as part of the government’s ongoing effort to ensure transparency and fairness in the distribution of flats under the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ scheme, a critical initiative aimed at alleviating the housing shortage in the Maldives.
