Faisalabad: The Government of Punjab is looking to include the land allotted for the previous government’s Ashiana Housing Scheme in its Naya Pakistan Housing Programme (NPHP), reported a news source. The matter regarding finalising the role of Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC), an entity formed to manage Ashiana Housing Scheme, has been forwarded to the cabinet.
The provincial government is looking to merge PLDC into a related department, but the final decision is yet to be taken. The details on land acquired for the Ashiana Housing Scheme have also been sought from PLDC. Please note, the company had already expressed interest to initiate the construction of 40,000 affordable homes, subject to approval.
The provincial government has also decided to form a Land Bank in cooperation with departments concerned in all provinces. The Land Bank formed at the federal level will help identify the suitable land for houses to be constructed under NPHP.
According to Punjab Housing Minister Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, land bank of 1 million kanals has been received in the province. In this regard, a report was sought from 36 districts in Punjab for pointing out available land for the project. Reportedly, related details have been submitted by deputy commissioners of 16 districts, including Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Hafizabad, Jhang, Faisalabad, Hafizabad and Lahore, while reports from the remaining 20 districts are still awaited.
For NPHP project in Sialkot, National Engineering Services of Pakistan (NESPAK) has also prepared a layout plan, which is expected to be finalised in the next meeting of Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency (PHATPA). PHATPA has also approved that affordable houses instead of residential plots will offered to the residents of Lodhran, Bahawalnagar and Okara.
During the PHATPA meeting held yesterday with Rasheed in the chair, the board members were informed that infrastructure for construction of affordable homes in Lodhran and Renala Khurd is 100% ready. For defining the mechanism of construction of houses and formalising a functional financial model, a sub-committee has also been formed. The sub-committee is to share its proposals in 10 days.
Reportedly, the developer of low cost project Safia Homes has also approached the Punjab Government to include its 6,000 low-cost units in NPHP. Their request is being considered by the officials concerned.
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