Housing policy revised to include guardians of persons with disabilities
According to a notice issued by the Ministry, the deadline for applications under this category has now been extended to 31 May.
The government has amended its housing policy to allow guardians of persons with disabilities to apply for land plots and flats under the designated disability category.
The change applies to the Family Housing programme under the government’s Housing for All policy, administered by the Ministry of Housing, Land and Urban Development.
Applications for land and flats first opened on 18 January. Since then, the regulations have been revised several times and the deadline has been extended, with the current closing date set for the end of this month.
Earlier amendments required applicants under the persons with disabilities category to submit a separate application and to be at least 18 years old. This excluded parents of children under 18 with disabilities from applying under that category.
Following public concern, the Ministry said it was working on revisions. Updated Binveriya scheme regulations were published on Wednesday.
A new clause added to Article 7 allows applicants under Category 2 who care for a person with a disability to apply by submitting official documentation confirming that the individual is registered as a person with a disability.
The definition of dependants under Article 11 has also been expanded. It now includes:
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Children under 18
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Unmarried children aged between 18 and 25
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Children under 18 under legal guardianship
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Children, siblings or half-siblings with disabilities
A total of 100 flats have been allocated under this category.
To qualify, the person with a disability or their family must show financial difficulty preventing residence in the Greater Malé Region. Applicants must also demonstrate that required treatment is unavailable in their home island or atoll and that they travelled to Malé for treatment within the past year.
If already residing in the Malé area, applicants must show that treatment has been received there for at least one year.
The amendments also revise rules affecting couples who both qualify for land under the Binveriya scheme in the Malé area, joint applications, and applicants willing to surrender flats previously allocated under other state housing schemes in exchange for land.
According to a notice issued by the Ministry, the deadline for applications under this category has now been extended to 31 May.
