Members of Kulhudhuffushi City Council have stated that the government's newly introduced “Gedhoruveriya” loan scheme would greatly relieve housing issues faced in Kulhudhufushi City, in a virtual meeting held with President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih today.
The Mayor of Kulhudhuffushi City Council, Mohamed Athif, emphasised the work undertaken by the government to lessen the burden of housing finances, highlighting that the “Gedhoruveriya” loan scheme is beneficial to a large number of residents. He also stressed on the importance of carrying out housing projects for the development of the city. The current administration had restarted the work of 105 housing projects in Kulhudhufushi City which were previously halted. In addition, the administration had already completed the finishing work of 40 housing units to ease the housing burden in Kulhudhuffushi City.
Speaking at the meeting, President Solih noted that the government would give prominence to islands that need housing, like Kulhudhufushi City, when allotting the MVR 1.5 billion budget for housing projects to be carried out by the government in the year 2022. He also stated that the government is considering increasing the amount designated for the "Gedhoruveriya" loan scheme to allow loans up to MVR700,000 for larger projects. The Mayor of Kulhudhuffushi City Council noted that there are currently some 1200 people in need of housing in the city.
The President and the Councillors deliberated on several other relevant topics such as healthcare, road development and waste management. The Councillors acknowledged that residents of the city had already started to enjoy the benefits of the hospital expansion project underway and the introduction of new healthcare services. Several upgrade projects are currently underway at Kulhudhuffushi Hospital and the tertiary hospital project is in the preparation stage to open for tenders. The Councillors also discussed the road development project underway in the city, recommending alterations to the road layouts and the inclusion of fire hydrants and "dewatering" drainage systems. President Solih stated that the current road layouts, plans and drainage systems were designed to be efficient and long-lasting.
The members of the council expressed their appreciation for the waste management project executed by the government, stating that it had vastly improved the issue of accumulated waste in the city. They petitioned to sustain the waste management project and noted the scarcity of human resources for the council. The Councillors and the President further discussed improvements to the seawall at the airport area, installation of lights at the airport, and upgrades to the seaport.
President Solih addressed the concerns raised by the Councillors and provided them with the latest updates of the ongoing and planned projects for the city. He stated that the government would work to implement a swift solution to the human resources issue. President Solih said that the government, would continue to provide all necessary assistance to all city, island and atoll councils. He reiterated that establishing efficient decentralised governance remains a key objective of the government.
