110,554 plots to be given to homeless people: CM

[Salman]

110,554 plots to be given to homeless people: CM

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that after the Ashiana Housing Scheme, the Punjab government is launching a programme for the distribution of five marla residential plots among shelterless people in the cities and villages across the province.He said process of identification of 110,554 suitable residential plots had been completed.He was addressing a meeting regarding five marla scheme and awarding of proprietary rights to the dwellers of Katchi Abadies here on Thursday.

Shahbaz said proprietary rights would also be awarded to the dwellers of Katchi Abadis throughout the province and the process would start from April 26 and complete by May 30.

He directed that satellite and physical survey as well as verification process of Katchi Abadis be completed within two weeks. He said the DCOs would also verify the suitability of the abadis after conducting their physical survey. He said that 713 suitable sites for five-Marla scheme had been identified in various cities of the province. He said the plots would be given to shelterless and landless people on merit, adding that all the basic amenities would be provided to the residents of the schemes.Shahbaz further directed that for the purpose of awarding proprietary rights to the tenants, cultivating the state land for generations, a plan should be evolved for deleting the names from the column of cultivation and entering it in the column of owners in the government record. The project would benefit more than 0.5 million cultivators of the province.

The chief minister directed the commissioners and district coordination officers to play role in the implementation of the public welfare projects. He warned that no negligence or delay would be tolerated in the execution of these welfare projects. He also issued instructions for selecting a suitable site for Ashiana Housing Scheme in Multan and presenting the plan of the project within next two days.The chief minister also announced computerized balloting for distribution of plots under five marla scheme would be held on June 6. He said the proprietary rights to the dwellers of Katchi Abadis and the plots allotted under five-marla scheme would be joint property of a husband and wife.

The CM issued directions for conducting a complete survey of the state land given on lease in the province so that the lands could be utilized for the welfare of resourceless people. He said Qabza groups were patronized in the dictatorial era while the present government had retrieved land worth billion of rupees from the Qabza mafia. He said that a cabinet committee had been constituted for monitoring the programme of five marla scheme and awarding of proprietary rights to the dwellers of Katchi Abadies.

Provincial Ministers Rana Sana, Haji Ehsanuddin Qureshi, Malik Nadeem Kamran, members national and provincial assembly, senior member Board of Revenue, chairman Planning & Development, secretaries of various departments, divisional commissioners, director general LDA and Katchi Abadis and officers concerned were present. Former member British parliament Ch Sarwar also attended the meeting.

Metro bus service: Shahbaz Sharif has said that the Punjab government will provide the best, modern and organized system of public transport to the masses in the form of metro bus service which will help resolve traffic and traveling issues.He said public transport was being made comfortable for the people by organizing it on modern lines. He said the metro bus service would give a new identity to Lahore, adding that the common man would specially benefit from the service.He was presiding over a meeting to review the progress of the metro bus service project here on Thursday.Shahbaz said modern air-conditioned buses having doors on both sides would ply in the City.Chairman Planning and Development, Secretary Transport, DG LDA and representatives of departments concerned attended the meeting.