CM inaugurates Dhi Rani mass wedding programme

Deserving couples to receive cash, household necessities

LAHORE:

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has inaugurated the Punjab Dhi Rani mass wedding programme under which Rs100,000 will be paid to each deserving newly-married couple through ATM.

"Food will be served to 20 guests of each couple. Furniture, household utensils, clothes and other daily necessities will also be donated," the chief minister announced on the occasion.

She said, "Receipt of applications under the Punjab Dhi Rani Programme for mass marriages has started, which can be submitted online at cmp.punjab.gov.pk. A dedicated Helpline 1312 has also been established for the programme." She underscored, "For transparency in the programme, applicants will be verified at home by special teams."

Chairing another meeting, the chief minister said construction of houses under the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar Programme had begun across the province.

"In a record period of only two months, the people who got the first installment of loan in Lahore, Kasur and other districts have started construction of their houses vigorously," she said.

She directed the authorities concerned to ensure the release of the second installment of loan under the programme as per schedule.

"We are trying our best so that no one is deprived of a rightful loan," she underscored and said an assistant commissioner had been appointed as focal person for the applicants in each district.

The chief minister said she would monitor the housing programme through a dashboard. She directed Provincial Minister Bilal Yasin to monitor the programme in the field.

CM Maryam Nawaz was informed during a briefing that more than 550,000 people had accessed the portal for the housing loans, while about 450,000 applications had been received.