Punjab govt launches ‘Jinnah Abadi Scheme’

[Salman]

Punjab govt launches ‘Jinnah Abadi Scheme’

The Punjab government has started ‘Jinnah Abadi Scheme’ in Rawalpindi to provide five-marla plots free of cost to homeless poor people. Shelterless low-income people could get forms for the scheme from the assistant commissioner’s office till April 5.

On Wednesday, more than 1,000 homeless people got forms from his office, Assistant Commissioner (Rawalpindi) Zahid Sohail told ‘The News’.

He said the Punjab government has started ‘Jinnah Abadi Scheme’ in all tehsils and poor people could get forms from their concerned assistant commissioner’s offices.

AC Zahid Sohail said that on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif they have started distribution of forms to homeless people and they could get forms till April 5. After April 5, they would start scrutiny of forms for a draw. Nobody could get forms after the due date, he said. He said that shelterless poor people and permanent residents of Rawalpindi tehsil are eligible to get forms. They should have CNICs of the Rawalpindi tehsil, he said.He said that initially they have purchased land for 250 plots at Mallu Kaal, Chakri Road. Similarly, they would purchase land in other rural areas to adjust the maximum number of poor people, he said. “We would get full information about the applicants through our vigilance teams,” he said.
Reliable sources said that in the first phase the Punjab government would provide 1,000 plots for this purpose in the Rawalpindi tehsil. The city district government, Rawalpindi, is trying to purchase land at Kallar Syedan, Rawat, Chak Beli Khan and Hassanabdal, sources said.
Talking to ‘The News,’ shelterless people at assistant commissioner’s office appreciated the scheme.
Sobia Shaheen, a widow, said: “I am a poor and homeless woman. My husband died in 2007 and I am living in a rented house with my two sons and a daughter at Arya Mohallah.” The federal and provincial governments should start such welfare projects to provide relief to poor people, she said.

Sadiq Hussain, a homeless man, said that concerned authorities should not provide forms to rich people and monitor such people during scrutiny of forms.