Application deadline extended for 100 housing units developed in Thulhaadhoo during MDP administration
The opposition MDP has expressed concern over the Ministry's decision to take over the allocation process for housing units accessible via the "Hiyaavehi Portal" from the local council. Under the government's new regulations, eligibility for these units is restricted to registered residents of Thulhaadhoo and those who have been residing on the island for at least 10 years.
The 100 housing units were part of a project initiated by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration to address the housing crisis in Thulhaadhoo. | Thulhaadhoo Council | Thulhaadhoo council
The Housing Ministry has extended the application deadline for the 100 housing units constructed in B. Thulhaadhoo.
The 100 housing units constructed in Thulhaadhoo were completed under the previous MDP administration. While the initial deadline for applications was set for April 11, the Ministry of Construction, Housing, and Infrastructure has now extended the submission period. Interested applicants can now submit their forms until 11:59 PM on Thursday, May 30.
Applications must be submitted through the "Hiyaavehi Portal." Following revisions to the allocation criteria for the 100 housing units in Thulhaadhoo, the current administration reopened the application window on January 11 this year.
According to information published in the Government Gazette by the Ministry, the 100 housing units constructed in Thulhaadhoo will be allocated under the "Housing for All" policy, which was inaugurated by the government in mid-November.
To ensure that basic housing in the islands is allocated under a uniform policy, the process is now being carried out in accordance with the government's established housing regulations. In line with this, the allocation of 100 housing units constructed in Thulhaadhoo was halted by a court order while the local council was managing the process. Following this legal intervention, the responsibility for allocating the housing units was transferred to the Ministry.
According to the guidelines released by the Housing Ministry, eligibility for the newly constructed flats in Thulhaadhoo is restricted to registered residents of the island and those who have migrated and resided there continuously for a period of 10 years.
The MDP had previously stated that since the beginning of this administration's term, there have been systematic efforts to undermine the decentralization system and centralize administrative powers within government ministries. The party further noted that while the Thulhaadhoo Island Council was in the process of allocating 100 housing units completed during the MDP administration to their rightful recipients, the process was halted by a court order. Despite this legal injunction, the government abruptly transferred the administrative responsibility for these housing units to the Ministry of Housing, a move the party claims was made in violation of the court order.
Many have expressed concern over the government's decision to open applications for these flats while bypassing the local council. The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), in particular, has voiced its objections to this move.
Furthermore, the MDP stated that the Ministry’s decision to open housing unit applications until April 11—under a policy that completely excludes the local council from the allocation process—is a direct violation of the Constitution and the Decentralization Act, and stands in clear defiance of the spirit of the decentralization system.
In addition to Thulhaadhoo, the Ministry has also extended the application deadline for the 100 housing units constructed in Th. Vilufushi.
