He made the remark at a function in Colombo yesterday (02) also attended by president Maithripala Sirsiena.

Noting that all housing ministers had received state funding to build houses in place of shanties, Ranawaka charged not even the loan he had sought was provided.

The minister added that unlike the construction of houses in the north and in plantation areas, housing projects for urban shanty dwellers did not receive any state or foreign funding.