17.7.2008

The 'SAARC village' of 100 housing units in Mahavilawatta Estate in the Nawalapitiya Electorate will be declared open in August during the forthcoming SAARC summit, Assistant General Manager for Special Projects at the National Housing Development Authority informed www.news.lk.

The establishment of the SAARC village is a unique illustration of the SAARC ethos and organisation. The houses will be given to middleclass people who do not have permanent homes.

Each house owner will be entitled to 15 perches of land, which could be valued at Rs. 500,000 once the houses have been completed. Infrastructure facilities such as water, electricity, roadways and a community centre will be available in the model village. The houses will all have homegardens as well.

A sum of Rs. 20 million is being spent on the construction of the SAARC village, plus another Rs. 40 million for the provision of infrastructure facilities.