The Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, Dr. A.H.M.H Abayarathna, stated that approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been received for the proposal to appoint a committee for making proposals to more productively utilize government bungalows, official residences of the President located in various areas and Visumpaya, which are under the purview of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, to gain economic benefits.

The Hon. President and the Minister of Public Administration have made this joint proposal as the relevant government bungalows and premises are underutilized.

The minister, Dr. A.H.M.H Abayarathna, further stated that these bungalows and premises are due to be more productively utilized to gain economic benefits by implementing the proposals made following the observations of the committee due to be appointed.

There are 50 government bungalows under the purview of the Ministry of Public Administration, on which a large sum of money has been spent on maintenance but are underutilized. They are located in Colombo 07 and 05. Those premises were previously allocated for former presidents, ministers, deputy ministers and various government institutions.

The official residences of the President under the purview of the Presidential Secretariat, except for those in Colombo and Kandy, are also underutilized. Those official residences of the President are located in Nuwara Eliya, Mahiyanganaya, Kataragama, Jaffna, Embilipitiya and Bentota.

In addition, the underutilized premises also include the Visumpaya, located in Colombo 02, which is under the purview of the Urban Development Authority. The official residence of the Prime Minister located in Nuwara Eliya has also been identified as an underutilized residence.

Media Unit