Govt initiates various steps to overcome housing shortage, NA told

[Salman]

ISLAMABAD: The government has taken a number of steps to overcome housing shortage in the country, National Assembly was informed on Thursday.
Ministry of Housing and Works has launched a scheme for Minorities named as "Re-settlement of Christian Community at Quetta" by the previous government during 2009-10.
The scheme financed on 50:50 sharing by federal and provincial governments, Minister for Housing and Works Akram Khan Durrani informed the National Assembly in a written reply.
He said that federal government almost released its share while the share by provincial government could not be release as yet.
The minister said that approved cost for the scheme was Rs 497.366 millions as per approved PC-I and federal government released an amount of Rs 220.993 million, while the share by provincial government could not be released as yet.
Akram Durrani said that 60 percent of work was completed and expected
date of completion is June 2016, subject to availability of funds.
To another question, the minister said the government taking several steps to overcome the deficiency of housing units in the country through its attached department.
He said that a comprehensive Prime Minister's Housing Programme (2013-18) had been announced which included construction of 1000 Clusters of 500 houses each for low-income families all over the country and to ensure cost-effective access to credit for housing.
Akram Durrani said the government would be picking up a portion of the financing cost on behalf of the borrower over & above 8%.
The said Prime Minister's Housing Programme was dealt by Apna Ghar Limited (APL)/ National Housing Authority (NHA), the minister added.
He said that Pakistan Housing Authority Foundation (PHAF) was in the process of launching 10 different housing schemes which would contribute in reducing the deficiency of housing units in the country.
Akram Durrani said that Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) launched two schemes and was in process for launching four housing schemes in future.
He said the government launched three housing schemes in Islamabad in last two years included Bhara Kahu, Zone-IV, Islamabad for federal government employees and other specified groups launched by Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation an attached department of this Ministry.
The minister said that Life Style Residency apartments in G-13, Islamabad on public private partnership with 75 percent for federal government employees and other specified groups and 25 percent for general public.
He said that for Prime Minister's Housing Programme (Apna Ghar Limited) (2013-18), Prime Minister constituted a Steering Committee under the Chairmanship of Federal Finance Minister and Minister for Housing and Works was its Vice Chairman.
The Committee has completed initial planning work and housing designs /models and also land had been identified by the provinces on several locations and now we were in position to initiate launching of projects, he added.
Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2015