No political will to stop free Male land schemes, Aslam says

Planning minister Mohamed Aslam said on Tuesday that there is no political will across the spectrum to stop the allotment of free land in the Male region.

The government is preparing to release the list of land recipients under its Binveriya scheme, which is aimed at awarding free land to natives of Male. The scheme has been met with criticism, with a motion filed in parliament alleging that it was unfair to give away free land.

Aslam, who has always been against giving free land, also raised the issue in Tuesday’s parliament sitting. Replying to an MP's question, he said that while giving large land lots has been a long-standing practice in the country, even political leaders do not want to stop the practice .

"Locals also believe that land should be given that way. Even our political leaders are not willing to stop it," he said.

During an earlier parliament session, Aslam had said that the decision to allot land in the Male area was in accordance with the norms in other islands as well.

On the same day, he pointed out that while there was no legal bar in giving land to a person who was not a resident of an island, prioritising the residents of the island while allotting land was a tradition since time immemorial.

At the same time, he said the country should also start talking about doing away with the practice

The government plans to award land from Hulhumale, as well as by reclaiming land from Gulhifalhu and Giraavaru lagoon.

Meanwhile, Urbanco has made changes to Hulhumale master plan and has begun preparations to reclaim a portion of the second phase lagoon.