Government Aims to Empower Communities to Build Their Own Homes, PM

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said the Government’s objective is to empower communities to build dignified homes of their own, while providing the necessary guidance, facilities and support.

The Prime Minister made the remarks while attending the 2026 World Habitat Day commemoration held at Temple Trees under the theme “Adequate Housing for All.” The event was organised by the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply in conjunction with the United Nations World Habitat Day programme.

Prime Minister Amarasuriya officially opened the 5,000th house completed under the programme and also participated in the presentation of property deeds. The Habitat Satisfaction Index (HSI) was also launched during the event, while prizes and certificates were presented to winners of essay, art, dance and short-film competitions held to mark World Habitat Day.

The Prime Minister said a home should not be viewed simply as a structure made of bricks, cement and sand, but as a fundamental human right connected to dignity, security and the happiness and unity of a family.

She said the Government was moving away from the traditional approach of providing assistance and treating people merely as beneficiaries.

According to the Prime Minister, the Government’s role is to provide guidance and the necessary facilities, while empowering communities to actively participate in building dignified homes of their own.

She said the Government was implementing a number of policy changes based on nine principles as part of its future sustainable housing policy. Housing would be considered a fundamental human right and an important component of the wider settlement system rather than as isolated housing units.

She said an integrated administrative system would be established while housing development would take into account both human and geographical characteristics.

The Government also aims to develop a data-driven approach to development without leaving any citizen behind, while building a housing system that is environmentally sustainable, maintains high construction standards and remains affordable.

The Prime Minister said the Habitat Satisfaction Index was being introduced across all 25 districts to measure how satisfied people are with the settlements in which they live.

The index will consider factors including the quality of housing, access to drinking water, sanitation, the environment, safety and public facilities. The Government has also proposed a “Best Settlement” Presidential Award to recognise the best village, best urban community, best housing project and best environmentally friendly settlement.

She said a “Green Settlement Challenge” would also be introduced in partnership with the Clean Sri Lanka programme, focusing on productive home gardening, rainwater harvesting and household waste management.

In addition, the Government plans to launch the “One Million Trees for Human Settlements” programme to plant one million trees in and around settlements.

The Prime Minister also spoke about promoting the concept of “My Beautiful Little Home”, encouraging families to build environmentally friendly homes suited to their needs rather than taking on debt to construct houses larger than necessary.

She said programmes had also been launched to develop under-served urban settlements and provide vocational training and employment opportunities for young people under the “Settlement Renaissance Day” initiative.

Under the “Jana Diya Sampatha” programme, drinking-water facilities are being provided to settlements without adequate water access, while several community water projects have also been opened.

The Prime Minister further said the Government had supported community-based housing construction and the provision of land ownership to people in liberated areas of the Northern and Eastern provinces.

Housing, Construction and Water Supply Minister Dr. Susil Ranasinghe said the Government’s goal was to provide a home of their own to every family in Sri Lanka without a house.

He said a National Housing Week had been organised instead of limiting activities to a single day and that a large number of programmes had been implemented during the week.

The Minister said the Government would not allow housing projects carried out with state assistance to be abandoned midway. He also said houses handed over to beneficiaries should not remain unused and that families should actually reside in them.

According to the Minister, the Government is working to complete 30,000 houses under the housing programme launched in 2026. He said the Government would not simply construct and hand over houses but would also work to provide residents with access to essential facilities, including schools and healthcare services.

The event was attended by members of the Maha Sangha, Deputy Minister of Housing T.B. Sarath, Kalutara District MP A.M.P. Dhanushka Ranganath, Prime Minister’s Secretary G. Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Kumudu Lal Bogehawatta, officials of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme in Sri Lanka, officials of the Indian High Commission, government officials, beneficiaries and children, among others.