Govt. to verify forms of 4,000 flat recipients instead of all applications

The current administration has decided to undertake efforts to verify the forms of the 4,000 individuals on the list of flat recipients instead of all forms of all 20,000 applicants under the former administration’s ‘Gedhoruveriya’ housing scheme.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Housing Minister Dr. Abdulla Muthalib detailed that a total of 20,709 applications were received for two-room and three-room apartments under ‘Gedhoruveriya’ housing scheme. They include 6,208 applications for two-room apartments and 14,489 applications for three-room apartments.

According to Muthalib, the first 4,000 flats being issued under the scheme include 1,250 two-room apartments and 2,750 three-room apartments.

A committee under the name ‘Gedhoruvereenge Committee’ was incepted to review the applications. After reviewing the forms, the Committee published the preliminary list of flat recipients on November 4^th, 2024.

Speaking at the press conference, Muthalib announced the government’s decision to conduct a verification process of the list of recipients published on November 15^th instead of all applicants as part of the inquiry into how the housing units were awarded.

“We will be referring to flat issuance policy G20/2022 gazetted on June 26, 2022, when implementing this verification process,” he added.

The Minister noted that documents stipulated in the portal as ones that can be submitted as proof of 15 years of residency in Male' are documents that will need to be evaluated during the verification process.

They include:

• Letter attesting applicant’s employment in Male’
• Letter attesting spouse’s employment in Male’
• Letter attesting applicant’s education in a school, college or university in Male’
• Letter attesting applicant’s spouse’s education in a school, college or university in Male’
• Letter attesting applicant's children's study in a school, college or university in Male' 
• Pension documents

Muthalib stressed that documents apart from the approved list of documents on the portal cannot be legally accepted.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has affirmed that his administration has no intention of revoking the flats awarded – adding the permanent list of recipients will be released before Ramadan.

The 4,000 units being developed by FDC in Hulhumale’ Phase II are the first of housing units being built under the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ scheme, a social housing project launched by the former administration.

The list of recipients of the flats, which was released during the last days of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration, was the subject of an investigation by ACC.

The corruption watchdog ordered for the suspension of the issuance of flats, before finally giving the Housing Ministry the go-ahead to proceed last February.

MDP administration had decided to issue flats to over 15,000 applicants who met the requirements under the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ scheme.