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rnrnOver 180,000 Lankans seek employment overseas annually and remit around US$ 1 bn worth of foreign exchange every year.
rnrnldblquote The concession to migrant workers is expected to create a boom in the housing market and uplift the living standard of migrant returnees, dblquote Hatton National Bank quote s Chief Executive, Rienzie T Wijetillake told a media briefing Friday.
rnrnrnRupee denominated housing loans are presently priced at around 16 percent. The dollar loans are expected to be priced at around 6 percent.
rnrnWijetillake says the current economic revival has created a big appetite for low and middle-income houses.
rnrnldblquote We estimate there is a 510,000 unit hosing demand till 2005 with 90 percent from low-mid income earners, mostly for Gam Udawa type houses, dblquote he said.
rnrnSri Lanka is presently short of 79,000 houses, according to the