The Ministry of Construction, Housing, and Infrastructure has launched an information-gathering initiative for residents who wish to build housing units on their own land in islands selected for Government-backed housing projects.

The initiative targets individuals living on 57 islands where the Government has committed to constructing a total of 12,000 housing units. Through local councils, the Ministry is collecting data from interested residents to assess demand and facilitate implementation.

Under this scheme, residents can build homes on their private plots while benefiting from the same payment terms offered under other state housing programmes. Each housing unit will include three bedrooms and a sitting room.

The move supports a key pledge by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu to ease the housing burden, particularly for those facing financial hardship. The Ministry stated that providing assistance to build on private land forms a central part of the administration’s strategy to expand home ownership across the islands.

In addition, the Government has opened up opportunities for contractors to carry out housing projects in the atolls, reinforcing its push to address the nation’s housing needs.

A total of MVR 2 billion has been earmarked in this year’s national budget for housing-related developments.