Housing Ministry begins notifying of discrepancies in flat, land applications

The Housing Ministry has begun notifying applicants for the government’s housing project of discrepancies identified in the information they submitted through the Hiyaavehi Portal.

Following the conclusion of the application period, the Ministry is now verifying applicants’ property ownership and landholding records. Speaking on PSM’s ‘Raajje Miadhu’ programme, State Minister for Housing Ahmed Nazim Mohamed said records relating to property ownership had been obtained from all local and city councils, as well as other relevant government institutions.

He explained that an automated system is being used to identify discrepancies, with applicants given an opportunity to clarify or correct the information they provided.

 "Councils may hold outdated information, or there might be ongoing legal proceedings or unresolved inheritance matters that are not properly registered. The applicant is best positioned to provide the facts, and we are offering this opportunity for them to substantiate their claims," the State Minister explained.

In addition to verifying property ownership, the Ministry is working with relevant authorities to cross-check information concerning applicants’ education, employment, and Dhafthar details. Applicants are required to respond to the automated notifications within seven days, failing which they will lose the opportunity to amend the information. All communication regarding the verification process will take place exclusively through the portal.

A media official from the Housing Ministry told Sun that the issuance of the notifications began on Monday. To provide assistance to applicants, the Ministry has established a dedicated call centre at Dharubaaruge, in addition to a help desk at the Ministry. The call centre can be reached at 4004900 on working days between 9:00am and 15:00pm.

A total of 58,585 applications were submitted for the housing project, divided into the following categories:

Family Housing: 45,644 applications, including 35,818 applications for flats and 9,826 for land.

Individual Housing Scheme: 12,861 applications, including 12,749 for land and 112 for flats.

Although President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration has identified addressing the housing shortage as a key national priority, significant government expenditure on housing has not been recorded toward the end of last year or during the current year to date. The government’s immediate objective is to accelerate the verification process and publish the final list of beneficiaries for both flats and land by December.