The government is considering allocating funds in the 2027 Budget to complete thousands of housing projects that have stalled for various reasons, Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Dr. Susil Ranasinghe has said.
Speaking at a meeting of the ministry’s Ministerial Consultative Committee, Ranasinghe said around 5,000 housing projects across the country have been halted.
A five-member committee headed by two former ministry secretaries has been appointed to identify which projects can realistically be completed and to recommend the steps needed to revive them. The committee is reviewing information on the stalled projects and preparing its recommendations, the minister said.
Assistance will also be extended next year to families unable to finish partially built houses, with close to 2,000 families expected to receive support under that programme.
The ministry has additionally decided to convene a special meeting with stakeholders on wider housing issues, including projects implemented for low-income families in the Colombo District.
Context
Incomplete state housing schemes have been a persistent problem, with money committed and construction begun but units left unfinished as funding lapsed or contractors withdrew. A survey of incomplete housing projects in the North and East was commissioned earlier in July, and Cabinet has separately approved a revision of the national housing policy covering National Housing Development Authority projects.
An expert committee previously examined housing projects undertaken between 2015 and 2019, which carried a value of Rs. 1,126 billion.
The 2027 Budget has yet to be presented. The President this week began review meetings on 2026 budget proposals, and any housing allocation would have to compete with other spending priorities under Sri Lanka’s fiscal targets.
