Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs Minister Sajith Premadasa yesterday pledged to establish 25 housing villages for artists before September this year.
He was addressing the media at the ceremony of distributing 30 million worth house from Moratuwa Sayurupura Housing Complex for Anusha Sonali, an award winning actress in Sri Lankan Cinema who is now suffering from a rare muscle disease call Mayopathi.
Sonali who played main roles in various films including Visidela, Handana Kinkini, Bhawa Sasara, Ginigath Horawa, Daru Upatha, Sundara Warada and Mamath Geheniyak also won Sarasaviya Best Emerging Actress Award in 1995.
Speaking at the event Minister Premasada made an open request from all the beneficiaries of houses distributed by the Ministry not to sell them for any reason.
“We are providing all these houses for artists, sportsmen and women and other professionals considering the difficulties face by them without having their own house to live. So they have a responsibility of safeguarding these assets provided free of charge by the government.” said the Minister.
The Minister charged that the process of providing benefits for the artists has been delayed due to the bureaucracy. Some laws and regulations also become barriers when trying to provide benefits.
“Sometimes I have to twist the law to provide benefits for the general public but not for the family.” He added.
Non-cabinet Minister of Highways and Road Development Ranjan Ramanayake also addressed the occasion.