Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today presided over an initiative to provide 50, 000 houses to low-income families in Colombo.

The 50, 000 houses are part of Phase I of the initiative that will be rolled out over the next few years.

The government said at the end of Phase II and Phase III of the project, a permanent solution to the problem of housing for low-income families in Colombo would have been found.

The areas these families occupied will be rehabilitated and redeveloped to suit an expanding city's needs.