Government has announced that it will be relaxing eligibility criteria for Male’ natives in the land scheme. The application for it will close on 26th September.

President Solih had announced plans to issue land from the greater Male’ area to address the housing crisis in the congested capital in his annual address back in February. On june of this year, two housing schemes were introduced— Binveriyaa Housing Scheme and Gedhoruveiyaa Housing Scheme. The two launched schemes — one to grant land to the natives of Male and another to lease flats from the capital to region for long-term residents.

The revised criteria now states that:

  • If a person has been registered elsewhere due to a policy or regulation made by the government, but whose parents have been Male natives and has since changed their registered address back to Male, then the person will be eligible to apply for the scheme.

Issue in land issuing policy:

Minister of National Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure Mohamed Aslam says that it is important to have a policy under which land can be given to people from outside of their registered islands as well. The minister said that by law is it not illegal to grant land if an individual requests it from an island that is not their residential one.

“If it is a Maldivian citizen, land can be given from anywhere in Maldives.”

Citizens with mixed feelings, the internet uproar:

Ever since the launch of these schemes, it has received a lot of criticism. Social media users have took it upon them and has since divided in a team of two. The debate over it is unending and the divide policy only seems to be growing in the virtual space.

Here are some peeks into what people have to say about the issue.

The voice that differs:

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