The Sri Lankan government has pledged to build 50,000 brick houses in the North-East, following months of protest against the initial proprosal of building 65,000 pre-fabricated houses.
The Secretary to the Ministry of National Integration and Reconciliation, V Sivagnanasothy told the Sunday Times, “The prospective owners will decide the kind of housing they prefer. Tenders will be called for construction work that would accommodate local participation."
"Lists of houses destroyed or damaged in the Northern and Eastern Provinces had been compiled by the Divisional Secretariats," he said adding that building of the houses would boost medium to small construction companies.
A French company Arcelor-Mittal is to build 6000 of the houses, estimated to cost Rs 1.5 million.