Power, gas to construction sector: PM tells CSs to take action against errant officials

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday directed chief secretaries of the provinces to take stern action against those officials who are making provision of gas and electricity facilities for the construction sector difficult, and are creating hurdles in government priorities.

While chairing a weekly meeting of the National Coordination Committee on Housing and Development, which was also attended by the 13 representatives of the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) through a video link, the prime minister directed all the chief secretaries to take action against those officials in government departments creating hurdles in government priorities, and creating difficulties in provision of gas and electricity facilities.

The prime minister said that business community was ready to invest in the construction sector and the government had assured them of every possible support.

He said that the promotion of construction sector was one of the top priorities of the government to reduce the impact of coronavirus on the economy, to speed up economic activity, and to create job opportunities for the youth as well as to provide roof to the poor people of the country.

The prime minister said that a helpline being set up at the federal level would make sure provision of gas and electricity connections to the housing units, housing colonies and commercial buildings.

He said that the purpose of introducing portal as well as mobile application and online system had been to minimise human contact and to make the entire system transparent besides improving its performance and effectiveness.

The prime minister appreciated the introduction of web portal by the Punjab and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces to streamline the application process and directed other provinces including the AJK and the Gilgit-Baltistan to introduce portal and one-window facility.

The prime minister with the establishment of portal, developers and builders could submit applications and other related documents from offices or homes.

The representatives of the ABAD informed the meeting about the various projects to be undertaken by them in the next few months, and as result there would be around Rs1.370 trillion in economic activity, and over 100,000 housing units would be constructed.

The prime minister was informed that now the process of issuance of NOC had been accelerated with the establishment of one-window and portal.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020