President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has stated that regulations governing housing schemes will be amended so that recipients who gain land plots from housing schemes will not be required to relinquish their existing plots to the State.
He made this statement today while speaking to members of the press at the President’s Office.
During the briefing, the President stated that applications for the housing schemes are now open, with a deadline set for the end of April. He added that the list is expected to be published in the Government Gazette on Monday or Tuesday.
Under the current regulations, beneficiaries whose existing homes are less than 400 square feet are required to transfer ownership to the State. The President explained that the proposed amendments would instead allow homeowners to transfer ownership to a spouse, children, or siblings, while removing the option of transferring such properties to the State.
He further noted that this change would apply to all homeowners under the previous administration’s Binveriyaa scheme, as well as recipients of housing schemes from both the previous and current administrations. He clarified that ownership transfers would only be required if a homeowner chooses to forgo the flat allocated under the Government’s social housing scheme.
The President also stated that successful joint applicants who reapplied and had already relinquished ownership of their existing homes would still be required to do so. He added that any homes exchanged for another property under this regulation would also need to be transferred to the State.
In his Presidential Address this year, President Dr Muizzu announced his intention to meet members of the press every Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., except during official travel, public holidays, or unforeseen scheduling conflicts. This is the second such press briefing held under this arrangement.