Lahore: Provincial Information Minister Azma Bukhari announced that the Maskan Ravi Scheme will allocate plots to both journalists and full-time media workers, as reported on September 16.
As per details, a delegation of senior journalists met with Provincial Information Minister Azma Bukhari today at the DGPR office, where discussions took place in a positive and cordial atmosphere. The meeting focused on addressing concerns surrounding the Maskan Ravi project, and Minister Bukhari provided clarifications on several key issues.
A total of 3,200 journalists and media workers will receive plots, with the size increased to 5 marlas to accommodate more beneficiaries. Journalists and media workers from Lahore will be prioritised, while those from other cities will be offered plots either in Maskan Ravi or in their respective districts’ residential schemes.
Bukhari further reassured that all eligible journalists and media workers will receive these plots free of charge. She emphasized that any appeals filed by petitioners regarding the Maskan Ravi project will be considered on merit, ensuring that no eligible journalist is deprived of their rightful allotment.
Clarifying the delay in the project, Bukhari explained that the postponement was due to a court-ordered restraining order filed by a journalist, not due to any involvement from RUDA or the Punjab government. She has directed her team to seek daily hearings in the High Court to expedite the case. She urged journalists benefiting from the scheme to support the lifting of the ban to ensure swift progress on the project.
Once the court order is lifted, the Maskan Ravi scheme will be re-advertised for those journalists and media workers who missed the original application deadline. However, those who have already received information letters will not need to reapply. The eligibility criteria for the scheme have also been adjusted, including the removal of the BA education requirement, with the only conditions being ten years of employment and a valid one-year salary slip.
Bukhari affirmed that the Maskan Ravi project would be completed as quickly as possible under RUDA’s supervision, with no involvement from the PJHF, ensuring the project’s success and benefiting the media community
