Under the direction of President Mithiripala Sirisena, altogether 10,000 houses are under construction in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and are expected to be completed by December 2016. A further 10,000 houses have been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in October 2016 and the preliminary activities have been commenced making the total number of houses to 20,000 units for the conflict affected community in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The Ministry of Prisons Reform, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs has initiated to construct 100 model housing village through Sri Lanka Army facilitated by the District Secretariat in Keerimalai in the Tellippalai Divisional Secretariat known as Nilenakkapuram (Reconciliation Village) said V. Sivagnanasothy, Secretary, Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs.
These houses are to be handed over to 100 landless families in the welfare camps on 31st October 2016 by President, as the gesture of reconciliation and permanent peace. Following the discussion by President, a Cabinet paper was submitted by the Minister of Resettlement and 42 acres of unutilized land of the KKS Cement Corporation was released for the housing program and the Sri Lanka Army was accelerated the implementation in cooperation with the District Secretary.
Further, on the same day, the President is also expected to release 454 acres of private lands which was under the custody of the Sri Lanka Army back to the original owners who were displaced. 454 acres includes KKs West, KKS South, KKS Centre, Thaiyidy, Thaiyidy South and Thaiyidy East. Immediate after the release of the lands, the Ministry of Prison will initiate action to provide housing programs to resettle the community. All these process demonstrate the commitment of the President Mithiripala Sririsena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe to establish a sustainable reconciliation and permanent peace in the country said Secretary, V. Sivagnanasothy.
D.M. Swaminathan, Minister of Resettlement, Chief Minister, Vigneswaran, State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran, Governor of the Northern Province Reginald Cooray and other Provincial Council Ministers and members including Defence Secretary Eng. Karunasena and District Secretary N. Vethanayakam are expected to participate in the occasion.