Eleven officers of NHDA found to have misused housing loan funds

• Minister Prasanna Ranatunga orders probe
• Says an audit will be conducted on all institutions that come under his purview soon

By Yohan Perera   

A number of officers attached to the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) are in hot water for misusing Rs 7.8 million which has been set aside for providing housing loans for people.   

  Minister of Urban Development and Housing Prasanna Ranatunga had ordered a probe on it.   
Three officers attached to Hambantota District of NHDA who have been found misusing funds allocated for loans have already been arrested while investigations have begun on an officer attached to Kurunegala, one in Galle, one in Puttalam, one in Kandy and four in Kalutara District who have also been accused of misusing funds according to the ministry. A total of 11 officers have been alleged to have misused funds.   
Two officers in the Kalutara District have been interdicted according to the authority.   

Recovery of loans have been moving in a lethargic manner in the recent past and Minister Ranatunga has ordered that it should be expedited.   

Also the Minister said an audit will be conducted on all institutions that come under his purview soon.   
Further, the NHDA said it has restarted most of the housing programmes that have been on standstill during recent times.