NPHP starts in January, here are the details!

The construction of affordable houses under Naya Pakistan Housing Programme (NPHP) is to start in January 2019. The project seems to be right on track to fulfill its promises. Each day brings in new and exciting information on the project, which originally meant to reduce the housing shortfall in the country that stands at well over 10 million. If you are also interested in the project and seek the latest developments, this blog covers it all for you.

Districts to have NPHP in the first phase

Development work on the construction of affordable houses will start on January 1, 2019 in Sialkot, Muzaffargarh, Lodhran, Chiniot and Bahawalnagar. The respective location of Naya Pakistan Housing Schemes in these cities hasn’t been revealed yet, but, as shared by Punjab Minister for Housing Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, 50,000 kanals of land with clear entitlement has been identified.

We are yet to find out the covered area of these houses. The information made available about the houses’ features was shared by Task Force Member Firdous Shamim Naqvi, who said that these houses will have at least two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom.

Who is the target audience?

The project is meant for families having a total household income of PKR 50,000 per month. That’s because the financial model of the project requires the applicant/owner to bear 20% of the total cost as down payment and the remaining in the form of monthly instalments of PKR 18,564.

The amount can be cleared in 20 years, and banks are to be engaged for providing home loans to the applicants at lower markup of 10%. The project is huge and its estimated cost is PKR 16 trillion, making it feasible only if banks are brought on board. To make the home loan option equally tempting for banks, the option of reducing tax burden on these banks is also being considered.

Online application process to be activated soon

The response generated by the project has been overwhelming; National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) had issued 5 million application forms for NPHP in October 2018. And this figure doesn’t include the people wanting to apply online. This is to change soon as NADRA is all set to start receiving online applications forms the coming Monday.

In the meanwhile, the government is also looking to reach out to people in rural and remote areas via mobile registration vans.

Which cities will be accommodated in the second phase?

The government has so far announced the construction of affordable housing in as many as 22 cities, including:

1. Lahore
2. Gujranwala
3. Kasur
4. Bahawalpur
5. Sialkot
6. Jehlum
7. Vehari
8. Multan
9. Laiyah
10. Rahim Yar Khan
11. Muzaffargarh
12. Sukkur
13. Quetta
14. Gilgit
15. Muzaffarabad
16. Swat
17. Islamabad
18. Faisalabad
19. Nankana Sahib
20. Samundari
21. Jaranwala

In the project’s first phase, the focus will be on setting up affordable houses in six districts (names mentioned above). Furthermore, a pilot project is underway in Faisalabad for which land is being identified. As soon as there is an update on it, Zameen News will keep you posted.

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