Govt forms Punjab Taskforce for Housing

CM says Punjab Inter-Department Committee is actively working to complete project on priority

LAHORE: The provincial government has formed the ‘Punjab Taskforce for Housing' on Friday to roll out the Apna Ghar Scheme.

According to an official announcement, Izhar Group of Companies Director and former Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) senior vice president Yaqoob Tahir Izhar was appointed as chairman of the 20-member taskforce.

On Friday, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar met Punjab Minister for Housing and Public Health Engineering Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed at his office and the decision to form the taskforce was made thereafter.



Speaking on the occasion, Buzdar said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is fully determined to solve public issues, despite all hurdles. Though the government lacks the necessary resources to resolve excess of problems, this could not hinder the passion for public service, he said. "The government is all set to launch Apna Ghar Scheme. The project will materialise the dreams of people who don't have houses to live in."

The chief minister said that the Punjab Inter-Department Committee is actively working to complete the project on a priority basis. The committee will ensure identification of suitable places for construction of houses as well as the provision of soft loans; he said. Buzdar added that more districts and cities will be included in Apna Ghar Scheme after initial identification of three cities in the first phase.

He indicated that authority is being established for the provision of clean drinking water to every citizen. The government has already identified suitable places for installation of water filtration plants.

Rasheed briefed the chief minister about ongoing spadework to initiate development works of the Apna Ghar project. He underlined that the PTI government would fulfill its commitment to building five million houses for citizens who do not own roofs over their heads.

Earlier, speaking to The Express Tribune, Rasheed said spadework to launch Apna Ghar Scheme in three districts, including Okara, Lodhran, and Bahawalnagar, have been completed. Now, the government is going to invite applications from interested citizens.

Initially, the government announced to launch the Apna Ghar project in Lahore, Kasur, Sialkot, Jhelum, Bahawalpur, Layyah, Multan, Vehari, Rahim Yar Khan and Gujranwala by January. However, keeping in view tremendous public response and a large number of applications, the government has decided to hold the simultaneous launch of the project in all districts.

Rasheed highlighted that the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has received around 80,000 applications from district Faisalabad alone. The government has halted the allotment process in Faisalabad district for scrutiny of these applications. The government will initiate the allotment after the completion of the scrutiny process by March 2019.



The housing minister said that there is a huge demand for housing units across the province. The government has held the project to avoid undue criticism. It will call applications from only those districts where the spadework has been completed. “The PTI government is committed to fulfilling its promise to provide houses to the low-income strata of the society, but it will take some time, Rasheed said.

He went on to ad that the government would construct double-storey houses under the NPHS pilot project. The Federal Housing Taskforce and Punjab government have already completed all arrangement to initiate development works on the NPHS pilot project.

The government aims to execute the project through a public-private partnership. It will play a role of facilitator and regulator in the project. It will provide land while the private sector will build houses from its own resources. Companies from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China have already expressed their interest to invest in the NPHS. A Chinese company has offered the PTI-led government to construct two million houses under the project.