About 70 Cabinet and state ministers have requested official residences from the goverment, Ministry of Public Service, Local Government and Provincial Councils said.

However, the Ministry currently has only 35 vacent official residences for government ministers.

Many Cabinet and state ministers have asked for official residences in Colombo citing "travelling difficulties."

The Ministry is currently in the process of creating a "priority list" for ministers who are in need of official residences.