Punjab seeks details of unused government properties

The Punjab government has sought details of vacant, unused and underutilised residential and commercial properties owned by the state from 12 institutions, including nine development authorities, to help achieve a revenue target of Rs500 billion in the next fiscal year.

According to a letter issued by the Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Department (HUD&PHE), the director generals of the Rawalpindi, Lahore, Sargodha, Multan, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Gujranwala, Dera Ghazi Khan and Koh-e-Suleman development authorities, along with the chief executive officer of Ravi Urban Development Authority, the director general of Punjab Housing and Planning Agency, and the chief executive officer of Punjab Central Business District Development Authority, have been directed to provide details of such properties.

The letter states that these properties may be utilised to help achieve the Rs500 billion target for the upcoming fiscal year.

Details have also been sought regarding government-owned properties that have been sold, leased, auctioned, licensed or put to any other use.

The authorities have been directed to compile records of all residential and commercial properties that are vacant, unused or underutilised. They have also been asked to identify roads, corridors and areas with commercialisation potential and provide recommendations in this regard.

The letter further directs the agencies to conduct assessments to determine land and property values, evaluate commercialisation potential, identify opportunities for revenue generation, and submit detailed action plans along with implementation timelines for achieving their respective revenue targets.