Naya Pakistan Housing Program (NPHP) is a flagship project of the government of Pakistan that aims to provide low-cost housing to the underprivileged section of the society. NPHP is also part of PM Imran Khan’s efforts to meet the country’s ever-increasing housing demands. To this end, the government is taking all measures to make the ambitious project of constructing 5 million houses in a period of 5 years a reality. For the development of Naya Pakistan Housing project, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar approved PKR 500 million for the Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency (PHTPA).
Punjab Government Approves PKR 500 Million for Development of NPHP
CM Buzdar made the important announcement during a meeting on Oct. 21. What other important points were discussed in the meeting? How will the discussions help the housing sector of Punjab? Let us weigh in on all of that and a lot more in this blog.
Important Points Discussed in NPHS Meeting Presided over by CM Punjab
Following are the highlights of the meeting:
- The approval of PKR 500 million for PHTPA, which is mainly responsible for overseeing the Naya Pakistan Housing Program
- CM Punjab also instructed government officials to resolve all kinds of problems that the project is facing under NPHP. The CM Punjab also emphasized on drafting the housing policy for NPHS while keeping in mind the financial status of the common man for whom this project is particularly meant for. Rules related to private housing schemes, commercialization fees along with the transfer of state land were also reviewed.
- Another major development also took place in the meeting. The CM also gave the go-ahead for a rural housing project will be developed in 17 model villages across the rural areas in the province of Punjab. These houses will be constructed as small residential units along with family parks on four acres of land. It was also decided in the meeting that the rural housing project will be launched in collaboration with Akhuwat, which is the world’s largest Islamic microfinance institution.
- Proposals to abolish the Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC) in a gradual manner were also discussed.
Progress of NPHP
The low-cost housing project was unveiled in October 2018. The government, in the first phase has launched the project in seven districts: Quetta, Gilgit, Sukkur, Swat, Muzaffarabad, Faisalabad and Islamabad.
The government has already initiated the balloting process for the NPHS in various areas of Punjab, like Okara and Lodhran. Apart from this, foreign investors, mainly from Canada, China, UAE and Turkey, have also shown a deep interest in the project. In fact, a Chinese company has also set up a plant for easy prefabricated homes in Pakistan for the development of Naya Pakistan Housing Project.
Punjab Govt has conducted computerized balloting of NPHP
The Punjab government had already kick-started the allotment of houses under the NPHS through computerized balloting in Lodhran. As per the instructions received from Prime Minister Imran Khan, there are plans to launch the NPHS in Multan. For this state land has been allocated at Madni Chowk for NPHP.
Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, the current provincial minister for housing, has also inspected the allocated site of the project in Multan as per the latest development of Naya Pakistan Housing project. It is also expected that there will be triple-story flats constructed to accommodate as many number of low-cost families as possible. The minister also confirmed that contemporary style flats will be given on easy installments at the cost of PKR 3 million in Multan.
It is expected that a total of 384 flats will be constructed at Madni Chowk on approximately 23 kanal. The layout of the NPHS houses in Multan would be such that the housing community will have mosques, family parks and modern health care amenities. It is expected that the project work for NPHP houses in Multan will begin from 2020.
Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed added the construction of 200,000 houses will be launched in seven major cities in about a year.
Increased participation of private sector builders and developers
The construction bylaws of Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency (PHATA) and other institutions are under review to encourage builders and developers to participate in this low-cost housing project.
The housing minister for Punjab said that it is difficult to construct so many houses in such a short time without the help and support of the private sector. Therefore, the government of Punjab aims to ease bylaws for the house developers to participate in the NPHP program.
So, these were the latest updates on the Naya Pakistan Housing Program. If you are interested in knowing everything about the low-cost housing project, then do read our detailed piece on the topic. Do write to us on blog@zameen.com, we’d be glad to hear from you.
Also, please check out our piece on the online registration for NPHP and make sure you register before the deadline. Subscribe to Zameen Blog, the best real estate blog in Pakistan.
