CM promises 100,000 houses

Maryam Nawaz says 2.2 million families in Punjab lack own houses.

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LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said that 2.2 million families in Punjab do not possess their own homes and 100,000 of them will be provided houses within a year.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of a scheme, Zahra Homes, in Kala Shah Kaku, she said 100 deserving families had received their own houses after the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) and the housing ministry had completed the work in Maskan Ravi in two and a half months.

The chief minister said those owning plots of one to 10 marla were being given interest-free loan of up to Rs1.5 million on easy conditions. Those who get the loan will have to pay Rs14,000 every month for seven years.

She said the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar programme had been made functional within months and thousands of houses were under construction in the 37 districts of Punjab. Some of them are in the final stages of completion.

The chief minister said merit had been ensured in the scheme through a system of check and balance to maintain transparency.

"I want to tell the allottees of Zahra Homes that these houses belong to them for life. Apni Chhat, Apni Ghar is one of the best schemes in the world," she added.

The CM said, "Furniture will be provided as a gift in the first five houses being built under the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar programme."

She said thousands of houses would be completed in the next few months.

The chief minister said, "A scheme is going to be introduced in which free residential plots will be given to deserving people to build houses soon. Thousands of deserving and poor people will be given three-marla plots. "The people of Punjab have placed immense trust in every project of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, hundreds of thousands of applications have been received," she added.

She said a large number of farmers were benefiting from the Kisan and Livestock Cards. Free medicines are being delivered to homes along with supply to hospitals and tests free of charge.

She said the Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital and other health facilities were being built and modern medical equipment was being brought in. Children are being treated free of cost under a heart surgery programme. Machinery has been purchased for the Suthra Punjab Programme. Garbage is being picked up from people's doorsteps. The province is giving a neat and clean look and 30,000 children have been given Honhaar Scholarships.

"Every city in Punjab is as close to my heart as Lahore," she said.

The chief minister said 25 electric buses for the province had reached Karachi Port, 500 new buses had been ordered and new routes would be chalked out. "Inflation has never come down from 38 per cent to six per cent in any tenure of government. Bread is available at Rs12 instead of Rs30. Thanks to Allah Almighty that the price of flour has also come down."