The government has published eligibility criteria and invited applications to a new housing scheme for long term residents of Male' who have either lived in the capital or been registered in the special municipal registry for over 20 years.
New rules for awarding land plots under phase two of the ‘Binveriya’ scheme and for awarding flats under phase two of the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ scheme were gazetted on Saturday night.
Applications for the plots and apartments can be submitted online through the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ portal before 3 pm on October 24, according to the announcement.
Land plots under phase two of the ‘Binveriya’ scheme are to be awarded from the northern Giraavaru lagoon. The total size of the land designated for issuing the plots is 5.53 million square feet. The minimum size of the plots will be 1,250 square feet. If more than seven people participate in a joint application, the size will be 4,000 square feet, which is the maximum plot size.
Maldivians over 18 years of age who do not own land are eligible to apply. People who have either resided in Male' for at least 20 years or were never registered in any other island could apply for plots under the scheme.
Eligibility criteria:
- Be a citizen of Male'
- Be 18 years of age
- Spent 15 years as a registered Male' resident (only the main applicant) or lived uninterrupted in Male' for 15 years (only the main applicant)
- Main applicant or co-applicants were never provided housing under a government housing scheme
- (Main applicant or co-applicants) never bought a housing unit/plot larger than 600 square feet from Male' city (private real estate market) or signed an agreement to buy and started making payments
- At the date of application, main applicant never gifted or sold a place larger 600 square feet in Male' in the past three years
- Monthly income does not exceed MVR 60,000 (main applicant and co-applicants separately)
