Housing Minister Dr Ali Haidar Ahmed has announced efforts to allow fishermen to apply for all categories of the government’s housing loan scheme.

Speaking at a press conference, Minister Dr Haidar noted that the government is working to support fishermen in overcoming challenges related to income documentation, which often hinder their loan eligibility.

He explained that, as the fishing industry does not have fixed monthly incomes, banks find it difficult to assess fishermen’s financial eligibility for loans. To address this, the government plans to create a registry of individual fishing vessels, allowing for better verification of fishermen's income, which will improve their access to loans through government-backed programmes.

Additionally, a national list of fishermen is being developed as part of the government’s Haftha 14 roadmap, aiming to formalise their role as recognised income earners. This step is expected to help fishermen access various financial benefits similar to other workers.