ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has assigned Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin responsibility to prepare and present a comprehensive plan for providing easy and low-cost loans to the weaker segment of the society for employment besides lending to low-income people for construction of homes.
While chairing weekly meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Housing, Construction and Development, the prime minister said that the plan should also include provision of health cards and technical and professional education to at least one member of the poorest families.
The meeting discussed in detail ‘Green Building Code’ following a briefing on them by the Ministry of Environment and eventually decided that ‘Green Building Code’ would be implemented as pilot project through New Pakistan Housing Projects.
The meeting also decided to change the existing laws and regulations regarding the use of agricultural, residential, and other lands for the protection of green areas, so that agricultural lands and green areas can be protected and the power to change the nature of such land could be done at the highest level.
The meeting was informed that the ‘Green Building Code’ covers energy saving, water saving, construction materials, indoor air quality, thermal comfort and location and transportation and application of the ‘Green Building Code’ would help reduce energy consumption by 24 to 50 percent, carbon emissions by 33 to 35 percent, water savings by 40 percent, and solid waste by about 70 percent.
The meeting was further told that there would be nominal additional cost for implementation of Green Code and it can be recovered in two to three years.
On formulating of the master plans of the major cities of the country, Chief Secretary Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa briefed the prime minister about the progress made so far in the formulation of master plans for major cities of the provinces.
The chief secretary Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa informed the meeting that a new law is being introduced for the protection of green areas, land use and especially for the approval of housing societies.
The prime minister stressed the importance of formulating master plans for the country's major cities as soon as possible.
The premier said that the pace with which unorganized and unplanned boundaries of cities are increasing was not only serious danger to the environment but there is fear of food security and administrative issues.
He added that a green Pakistan is essential for the protection of future generations and to provide them a better environment therefore, there is need to prepare a policy/strategy with regard to rules and regulations for land use.
He directed Chief Secretary Punjab to formulate green areas protection plan and strategy for its implementation.
The prime minister directed the people participation must be ensured in efforts to protect green areas.
The deputy governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) briefed the prime minister on the loans provided by banks for the construction of houses for low-income people, the problems faced by the people and the steps being taken to resolve them.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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