Naya Pakistan housing scheme launched in Swat

Not only the poor will benefit but thousands of youth will be employed: CM

SWAT: As the military handed over administrative powers to civil authorities in Swat on Monday, the provincial chief minister launched the prime minister’s housing scheme for the militancy-affected valley.

The scheme was launched by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Monday who said that the scheme —Prime Minister Imran Khan’s national low-cost "Naya Pakistan Housing Programme" — will not only provide housing for the homeless but also boost economic activities by providing jobs to thousands of unemployed people. Addressing a public gathering here at the Grassy Ground after inaugurating the registration service for 'Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme,' Mahmood said the project will benefit those hailing from the lower income strata of the country.

CM KP Mehmood Khan launched the #NayaPakistanHousing scheme in Swat pic.twitter.com/BXau1bZN7I

— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 22, 2018

Explaining the reason for picking Swat to launch the project in K-P, Mahmood referred to the sacrifices rendered by Swat’s residents in the war on terror. He added that work on the pilot project has already been in seven districts across the country including Swat, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Sukkur, Quetta, Gilgit and Muzaffarabad.

With the execution of this mega project — land for which will be provided by the government while the private sector will build them — the K-P chief minister said that not only the poor will get to have their own homes, but thousands of youth will be employed apart from spurring large and small scale industrialization after the commencement of the project. Cumulatively, it will boost economic activity in the region and the area’s gross domestic product (GDP).

“Today is a big day for the people of Swat as with commencement of registration for this mega project, we have achieved the initial goal,” the chief minister said, adding that the next phase entailed setting up the Naya Pakistan Housing Authority where one-window operations will allow house hopefuls to register themselves.

To stress the importance of the project, Mahmood claimed that PM Imran will personally monitor the operations of this authority.

The registration process is expected to be completed within 60 days.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2018.