• Viyathpura housing scheme sales to fmr. MPs cost taxpayers Rs. 220 m losses
• Govt. has suspended work on 50 remaining houses: Min. Sarath
• Calls how the houses were sold unfair and unethical

The Ministry of Urban Development, Construction, and Housing stated that it will, through a new cabinet paper, attempt to recover the appropriate value of 26 units in the Viyathpura housing scheme, which were allegedly granted to Parliamentarians of the former Government at nominal prices.

Deputy Minister of Urban Development, Construction, and Housing, T.B. Sarath, revealed in Parliament last week that 26 former MPs, whose houses were set on fire during the 2022 unrest, purchased 26 units from the Viyathpura housing scheme at nominal prices, resulting in a loss of Rs. 220 million to the Government.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Deputy Minister Sarath said that the housing units were provided to MPs based on a decision made by the former Cabinet of Ministers. He added that approval had been granted for the allocation of 76 units for MPs. "There were plans to provide housing units to 76 MPs. However, only 26 MPs had made the required payments, and 50 had not. Accordingly, our Government has suspended work related to the remaining 50 units."

Stressing that no Government has a mandate from the people to enact laws, pass them in Parliament, and distribute public resources among politicians at their discretion, the minister said that allocating these housing units at nominal prices is unfair and unethical. "We will explore the possibility of recovering the proper value of these housing units by re-submitting a Cabinet paper. We may not be able to introduce laws with retrospective effect, but we will do everything possible to ensure the rightful value of these housing units is received by the Government."

Speaking in the Parliament last week, the Deputy Minister claimed that the 26 MPs have purchased these housing units despite receiving compensation from the Government and additional compensation from insurance companies for damages caused to their houses.