The Ministry of Defence has approved a housing scheme covering over 30 acre of land for its own and the Army General Headquarters (GHQ)'s low-income employees from BPS-7 to BPS-14 and awarded development task to Rawalpindi Cantonment Board.
The housing scheme will have a school, mosque, modern park and other facilities while, the allotment letters will be distributed among the applicants in the November next year, Executive Officer, Rawalpindi Cantonment Board, Rana Manzoor Ahmed Khan told APP here.
He informed that first time in the history of Rawalpindi Cantonment, a housing scheme is being announced for low-income employees of the Ministry of Defence and GHQ.
Rana Manzoor said that the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board has been awarded a contract of the development of the land, adding a total of 372 plots will be created and alongside the construction of roads and parks, the facilities of sewerage, electricity and gas will be made available.
Giving further detail, he said 92 plots of seven Marla and 84 plots of five Marla will be allotted to the low paid employees of the Ministry of Defence while the employees of GHQ will get 96 plots of seven Marla and 100 plots of five Marla.
Responding to a question, he said that an estimated Rs 850 million have been allocated for the development work out of which Rs 12 million will be paid to IESCO for supply of electricity, Rs 38 million for construction of roads, Rs 6.5 million for sewerage system, Rs 4.6 million for underground water tank and Rs 4.5 million for tube-well and filtration plant. The Executive Officer further informed that Rs 6.7 million have been allocated for water supply network, Rs 5 million for overhead tank, Rs 7 million for provision of sui gas and Rs 2.1 million for installation of street lights.
He said that the Ministry of Defence and the GHQ have already released an amount of Rs 25 million for development work while Rs 41.476 million will be released in the second phase. Rana Manzoor expressed the confidence that the development work of the scheme will be handed over to the Ministry of Defence for onward distribution among the applicants in November 2011.