FGEHA seeks quota in plots

Officials say CDA bound by law to give plots for govt employees

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) has demanded a 10% quota in land allocation from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in all sectors of Islamabad. This demand has been made under Islamabad Land Disposal Regulation 2005.

The documents read by The Express Tribune stated that the civic authority would allocate 10% plots in its sectors for FGEHA. It added that the allocation would be done for the federal and semi-government employees.

Further, FGEHA has also written a letter to the CDA. It cited that the civic authority has recently launched Sectors C-15 and C-16. Therefore, under the regulation, the housing authority should be allocated 10% of land in the related sectors.

Talking on the issue, a senior FGEHA official told The Express Tribune that the CDA was obliged to grant plots as per the quota devised in 2005. He added that the civic authority has been reminded of it through a letter. The official said that these plots would be awarded to the government employees on merit.

He said that FGEHA provides eligible federal government employees with quality affordable housing in major cities of Pakistan in secure, healthy and decent environment. Also working in partnership with the public and private sectors, housing authority provides families with housing choices and opportunities.

Nevertheless, over 27,000 federal government employees were without an official residence in the federal capital and living in rented premises. There was a chronic shortage of government housing, yet whatever initiative respective governments took in the housing sector landed in court.

According to reports, FGEHA has started only five housing schemes in the federal capital during the past decade, but all of them have been mired in red-tape, litigation and other issues.

These schemes include Green Enclave-I, Green Enclave-II in Bhara Kahu, Thallian Housing Scheme, Park Road Housing Scheme and housing projects in sectors F-14 and F-15.

However, people have yet to get physical possession of plots in these schemes which remain under development.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2020.