– President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the previous Cabinet had decided to remove obstacles faced by people who had left Sri Lanka during the war and were living in India, enabling them to return to the country.He made these remarks today (28) while attending the ceremony to hand over the “Navodaya Gama” housing project to 50 families from Poonagala and Kabaragala who lost their homes in a landslide in 2023.The families had been living in difficult and unsafe conditions for nearly three and a half years.

The President said the Government had assumed responsibility for ensuring a better life for every person born in Sri Lanka, contributing to its economy and ultimately becoming part of the country.He said priority had been given to housing projects in the forthcoming Budget, while the Government expected to include provisions safeguarding the rights of the Malayagam community in future agreements with plantation companies.President Dissanayake also stressed the need to protect the central hills, which he described as the “heart of the country”, for future generations.He said steps would be taken to introduce a Bill to Parliament by the end of this year or early next year to establish a Central Highlands Protection Authority by bringing together the powers of institutions and departments responsible for protecting the region under one authority.The “Navodaya Gama” project, constructed under the Government’s “A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life” policy, consists of 50 fully equipped houses, each measuring 550 square feet and built on 10-perch plots.

Each house comprises two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and bathroom, with approximately Rs. 3.2 million spent on each unit.Each family has also been provided with essential furniture and kitchen equipment worth around Rs. 175,000.The President symbolically handed over house keys and title deeds to 10 beneficiaries at the ceremony.Meanwhile, under the Indian Housing Program to construct 4,000 houses, the President presided over the presentation of freehold title deeds to 163 beneficiaries residing in houses constructed in the Haldu¬mmulla, Bandarawela and Haputale Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Badulla District.

President Dissanayake also presented a symbolic gift to Army Commander Lieutenant General Nilantha Premaratne in appreciation of the Sri Lanka Army Corps of Engineers’ contribution to the construction of the housing project.Addressing the gathering, President Dissanayake said the Malayagam community had contributed to building Sri Lanka’s economy for more than 200 years and should be recognized as part of the country.“The Malayalam community, who have contributed to building our country’s economy for more than 200 years, are our own people. Where they came from and when they came here are not important. That is history,” he said.

He noted that despite having lived in Sri Lanka for more than two centuries, many members of the community still lacked ownership of land and their own homes.