Five million houses: China, UAE show interest in PM's scheme, Senate body told

A parliamentary panel was informed on Wednesday that China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have shown interest in recently launched Prime Minister's (PM) Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme, a programme to build 5 million houses within next five years.
This was stated by Federal Minister for Housing and Works Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works which met under the chairmanship of Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmed Muhammad Shahi.
Federal Secretary Housing and Works Dr Imran Zaib also briefed the participants on the project. He said if the programme is started, it would help local industry, create new job opportunities and bring significant investment.
The panel was informed that the government is also planning to finalise another model for slum dwellers on the same lines. The slum dwellers will be provided interest-free loans to construct two-bedroom houses, said the minister.
He said this is a very good initiative and if PTI government successfully implements the project, it would greatly reduce the housing shortage in the country. New houses will be built in each district of the country to avoid population concentration in big cities, maintained the minister.
The NADRA has issued the registration forms for Naya Pakistan Housing Programme. Right now the registration is initiated in seven districts in collaboration with NADRA with an aim to collect data for housing needs of people. The NADRA has solved form submission issue for the citizens, as form can be submitted online now.
Cheema said Prime Minister Imran Khan is taking keen interest in the project of five million houses for the poor and he himself is monitoring the whole process of this important project, adding that it is the top priority of government and major point of the first 100 days plan.
The secretary housing and works briefing the panel said at present there is a shortage of 12 million houses in Pakistan as "We have 32 million houses against our requirement of 44 million."
Total demand for new houses in the country stands at 0.7 million per annum while only 0.25 million houses are constructed annually in the country. To bridge this huge gap, the Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme will greatly help, he added. The panel was informed that the private sector will play critical role in completion of project, while the government will only play regulator's role with maximum efforts to complete the project within timeframe. The government will complete the framework of the entire project by the December 10, 2018, the allottees will pay the total cost of house within 20-25 years time with a monthly instalment of Rs 5,000-6,000.
The panel directed the officials concerned to prioritise less-developed and backward areas in this project. The officials briefing on the ongoing housing schemes for the federal government employees by Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) said land dispute in Bhara Kahu Housing Society has been resolved and work on Thallian Housing Society also will start soon. The officials said so far Rs 1.18 billion have been deposited in the accounts of FGEHF for both the schemes.