2026-02-18 / oral_question: Oral Question Q.1500/2025 - Estate Houses in Ratnapura District 2026-02-18
## Summary
The Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure outlined the government's housing initiatives for plantation communities, noting significant shelter deficits across multiple districts, including 2,159 families in temporary huts in Ratnapura alone. He highlighted two major housing programmes: a 10,000-unit project funded by the Government of India, with Sri Lanka providing infrastructure, and a separate domestic initiative of 2,026 houses for the Malaiyaha Tamil community launched in 2025 in Bandarawela. The Minister acknowledged construction challenges arising from difficult plantation terrain and post-cyclone NBRO re-evaluations requiring land reselection, while confirming that over 2,600 additional houses are expected under the Indian programme in 2026. He also announced that cyclone-damaged homes would receive Rs. 5 million in compensation, with line-room residents eligible despite lacking land title.
Hon. Speaker, as noted, 2,159 families in Ratnapura are in temporary huts; figures are even higher in districts like Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Kandy and Matale. As a new Government, we decided to grant 10-perch plots to plantation communities who historically lacked land ownership.
Many families have been displaced by landslides and are living without proper shelter—even in closed factories in my district, where about 50 families have lived for two and a half years after a landslide. We are now rapidly building houses for them and expect to hand over 50 within about two months.
We are grateful to the Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their support. Under the Indian assistance programme, we are implementing a project of 10,000 houses; the Government of Sri Lanka is funding infrastructure such as water, roads and electricity.
Additionally, under our own programme, in 2025—again, for the first time in Sri Lanka—we initiated 2,026 houses for the Malaiyaha Tamil community at a ceremony presided over by the President in Bandarawela, and works have commenced.
Building in the plantation terrain is challenging. Following the recent cyclone, NBRO re-evaluations have deemed some initially identified lands unsuitable, requiring re-selection before construction. Nevertheless, we are proceeding. In 2026, we expect to add over 2,600 houses under the Indian housing programme.
We also thank the Minister of Housing, under whose plans over 50,000 houses are being prepared for low-income and plantation communities nationwide, with a significant share for the plantation sector. For fully damaged houses due to the cyclone, we decided to provide Rs. 5 million per house, and—despite their lack of land title—line-room residents will also be eligible. We will accelerate these programmes.