Government project to reach 10 more Punjab cities

NPHS to provide a total of 5 million low-income housing units

LAHORE:  

The federal government has decided to expand the scope of ‘Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme’ (NPHS) by including 10 more cities of Punjab.

Provincial Housing Minister Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, on Monday, highlighted that the government would roll out the NPHS in Lahore, Kasur, Sialkot, Jhelum, Bahawalpur, Layyah, Multan, Vehari, Rahim Yar Khan and Gujranwala by early next year. Registration for these new districts will also be started next year, he added.

“Right now, the government is making arrangements to initiate the NPHS pilot project in Faisalabad. A team has already completed the survey in Faisalabad district and submitted its recommendations to the government for initiation of the NPHS pilot project,” he revealed.

Rasheed added that the government will construct double-storey houses under the NPHS pilot project in Faisalabad. The Federal Housing Taskforce and Punjab government have already completed all arrangement to initiate development works.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, an official of the Punjab Housing and Urban Development Department said the government has not yet finalised the design, site and price of these houses. “All aspects of the project will be worked out after data collection and evaluation of the housing needs,” the official stated.

He highlighted that the government will execute this project on a public-private partnership. The government will have a facilitator’s and regulator’s role in the project. It will provide land, while the private sector will build houses from its own resources.”

Responding to a question, he said the NPHS project is similar to the Ashiana Housing Scheme, but it is altogether different in terms of execution as it will have several checks and balances for greater transparency.

Prime Minister Imran Khan unveiled the NPHS project last week. In the first phase, the government has decided to start the NPHS project in seven districts, including Sukkur, Quetta, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad, Swat, Islamabad and Faisalabad. The aim is to construct total five million houses for the low-income strata of the society over the next five years.

Following the announcement by the prime minister, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), on Wednesday, had issued registration form the NPHS project on its website which had been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times in the past five days. The government sought cooperation from NADRA for registration and data collection to evaluate the housing needs of the people.

NADRA officials highlight the registration process has already been started for NPHS in seven districts. Citizens can download application forms from the NADRA’s website (nadra.gov.pk) and submit them to deputy commissioner’s offices or select NADRA’s centres before December 21. The registration fee for the projects was Rs250.

However, the public, including the chief justice of Pakistan, have doubts over the government’s ability to build as many houses in five years. The opposition is also criticising the ruling party for making tall claims, but business and economic leaders are quite optimistic about the NPHS. They indicate if the government succeeds in attracting investors, the project will boost the national economy as the wheels of nearly 48 industries will start running to cater to the demand for construction material. The project will also create a huge job market for skilled and semi-skilled labour.

As per the NADRA website, only one person per family (husband, wife or child) is eligible to apply for this scheme. Preference will be given to candidates who do not own any independent residential unit in Pakistan. The homes are to be made for the common man who earns between Rs10,000 and 25,000 per month.