The Ministry of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure has eased requirements under the Hiyaavehi Financing Scheme, allowing greater flexibility for applicants submitting building drawings.

Via his official X account, Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib stated that applicants may now submit building drawings that are not yet approved by the Malé City Council, as long as the documents are stamped by a licensed engineer and architect. This change comes in response to difficulties faced by Malé residents who want to apply for the scheme but are unable to complete the council approval process in time.

The Minister explained that banks require approved drawings for financing, but under the revised rules, applicants will be allowed to submit council-approved documents later during the evaluation stage of the application process.

The Hiyaavehi Financing Scheme is a Government initiative aimed at providing affordable housing through Islamic financing, offering low-interest loans for home construction and renovation. While the scheme originally had a deadline of April 8, the Ministry had earlier announced an extension until April 30, 2025, to allow more applicants to benefit from the programme.

Applicants can submit their requests through the Hiyaavehi Portal. The scheme includes three categories: Hiyaavehi Rahvehi, which provides loans of up to MVR 1 million with no equity requirement; Hiyaavehi Saharu, offering loans up to MVR 3 million; and Hiyaavehi Furamale', through which loans of up to MVR 6 million are available for home construction and renovation projects.