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The “Randora Urumaya” program provides housing rights to 50,000 families:
Ownership of 31 apartments and 130 houses in Colombo:
President Ranil Wickremesinghe, recalling the fire that destroyed his home two years ago, stressed the importance of having a safe home. This realization prompted him to launch a plan to allow 250,000 people living in Colombo apartments to fully own their homes.
“When my house burned down two years ago, I really understood the value of a house. If the Air Force came to put out the fire,
They had to shoot, and I didn’t want to hurt anyone. As a result, everything in my house, including my books, was destroyed.”
“This experience has deepened my awareness of the importance of owning a home, which inspired us to start this project to give people the right to own their own homes,” he said.
He highlighted the move at the launch of the “Randora Urumaya” housing deed granting program on Tuesday (9th). In the first phase, 50,000 housing units will be provided to low-income families living in apartments in Colombo.
During the event, the President symbolically attended the awarding ceremony of ownership of 130 houses located in 31 apartment complexes in the Colombo district.
The 2024 budget proposal, conceived by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, introduces the Urumaya scheme, which aims to provide free land rights to two million people and full home ownership to 250,000 low-income families living in Colombo apartments.
The National Housing Development Authority has paid Rs 150,000 for each house, including apartments, rented out to low-income earners for up to Rs 3,000 a month. Although the payment is yet to be completed, in the first phase, 50,000 beneficiary families will get full ownership of their homes within a month. The authority plans to issue title deeds to 1,070 beneficiaries by the end of this year.
President Wickremesinghe further elaborated that through the “Urumaya” program, 2 million people will be given permanent land rights and 50,000 people will be given full housing rights. He stressed that owning land and housing is the aspiration of the people of this country and the government is committed to providing as much relief as possible to citizens.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe further stated at the rally: “Today, we are united in giving people living in Colombo apartments full ownership of their homes. This marks the arrival of the ‘Urumaya’ program in Colombo. We launched the ‘Urumaya’ program at a time of great difficulty for the country and provided the maximum support that the government could provide.”
Our main focus was to empower the people. Owning land or a home was essential and represented the hopes of the people. We implemented the program to fulfill these aspirations and succeeded in achieving this within two years.
Before all this can be achieved, it is necessary to establish economic stability and maintain law and order in the country. Two years ago, there was widespread fear about the future of our country. Today, we have achieved economic stability. Without this, our country might face a crisis similar to that of Lebanon and Kenya.
We are now working to ensure that our people benefit from our newfound economic stability. In just two years, we have managed to bring the country out of bankruptcy. I have long advocated for the granting of land rights to the country’s farmers, and we are united as a government to make this a reality.
I learned the value of a house two years ago when my house burned down. If the Air Force came to put out the fire, they would have to shoot, and I didn’t want to hurt anyone. As a result, everything in my house, including my books, was destroyed.
This experience has made me realize more deeply the importance of owning a home, which inspired us to start this project to give people the right to own their own houses. We are expanding the “Urumaya” program to cities, ensuring that it is not limited to rural areas. Under this program, 2 million villagers will be given freehold land; and 250,000 families in Colombo will be given home ownership. You must protect and maintain these houses, keep them clean, and build your future in them. This is a precious opportunity in your life, and I urge you to make the most of it.
“As a government, we are committed to providing as much relief as possible to the people. We are all acutely aware of the difficulties faced by citizens. When I assumed leadership, I believed that the country needed significant change. Such change cannot be achieved through slogans, street protests or petitions. Real change requires purposeful action towards clear goals.
No one expected our country to be in the position it is today. Through the ‘Aswesuma’ scheme, which is similar to the ‘Samurdhi’ grant, we have provided three times the benefits to the people. We have also increased rice production in the country and arranged for low-income families to receive 10 kg of rice in two months. Also, the salary of government employees has been increased by Rs. 10,000.
“We are also working on developing tourism and agriculture in the country. The ‘Urumaya’ scheme was implemented to grant permanent land rights to the people and arrangements have been made to provide apartment ownership to those who need it.
Our achievements are because we are committed. Why couldn’t previous governments accomplish these tasks? I must express my gratitude to all the ministers who participated. We must work together and keep working hard.
“We have reached an agreement with official creditors, including China Exim Bank and private creditors, on how to repay the foreign loans we have taken. As a result, our debt obligations have been reduced by Rs 800 crore and we have been asked to repay the remaining debt by 2042. We must continue with this plan. I believe no one wants to go back to the past. If we do not abide by the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), we will face greater difficulties as a country. We cannot remain in debt forever; therefore, we must transform into an export economy to generate revenue.
“We must achieve both goals and ensure that no one undermines our efforts. Your future is in your hands today.
In addition, we need to create job opportunities for young people. We have appointed an expert committee to address the wage gap among government employees.
I have also instructed the Finance Minister to implement a plan to provide relief to pensioners. Funds should be allocated by the end of this year to support these people. The Government’s goal is to keep interest rates low in the future. In order to grow business, bank interest rates need to remain low. However, lower interest rates may be disadvantageous to pensioners, so I have instructed the Finance Minister to develop a plan to address this issue.
We have a long way to go to ensure a better future for your children. We must build the society that future generations will desire. I believe that empowering people today is the best step we can take toward that goal.
Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga; During the presentation of the 2024 budget, when the President proposed issuing land deeds to two million people for free, some opposition groups ridiculed the idea.
However, the President confidently directed us to implement the freehold land title program. Today, the “Urumaya” freehold land title program has begun. In addition, the program to provide full ownership of homes to apartment residents also began today. With these freehold title deeds, the beneficiaries can obtain bank loans to pay for various needs, such as school fees or medical expenses.
Two years ago, President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s residence was destroyed by protesters. It was not just a house, it was a piece of history. The house contained a valuable library, statues, paintings, etc. Despite the damage, the president launched a program to ensure that many people have homes.
When other leaders, businessmen and academics left due to the crisis, President Ranil Wickremesinghe was the only leader who stood up for the country and the oppressed people. The true character of a leader is revealed in times of crisis. President Wickremesinghe took on the responsibility of stabilizing the country and providing relief to the affected people through various projects like “Aswesuma and Urumaya”.
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