PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur visited Jalozai in District Nowshera on Wednesday, wherein he inaugurated the low-cost housing scheme (residential apartments) under the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme (NPHP).

This housing scheme, covering an area of 150 kanals, has been implemented at an estimated cost of Rs3.3 billion. The scheme would have a total of 1,320 apartments, each with a covered area of 780 square feet.

The scheme is specifically designed for people with a monthly income of less than Rs50,000. It merits a mention here that the eligibility criterion (monthly income) is verified by NADRA and the Naya Pakistan Housing Authority.

Under the scheme, each apartment received a subsidy of Rs.300,000 from the federal government and 400,000 rupees from the provincial government with the purpose to provide affordable housing facilities to the middle and lower-income segments of the society. In the first phase of the scheme, 116 apartments have been allotted, whereas work on remaining apartments is in progress.

On this occasion, the Chief Minister also inaugurated a sports complex in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Housing Scheme, Jalozai, which has been completed at estimated cost of Rs17 million. The complex includes a squash court, futsal ground, artificial tennis and basketball courts, as well as a 500-meter long jogging track. The central park covers a total area of 42 kanals, with 8 kanals allocated for sports facilities. Provincial cabinet members Mian Khaliq-ur-Rehman, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Dr. Amjad Ali, MPA Mian Umar Kakakhel, Commissioner Peshawar and others were also present.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, the Chief Minister said that providing affordable residential facilities to low-income people is the vision of Imran Khan, adding that during their government, significant progress had been made on various low-cost housing schemes across the country; and that’s why, no one other should attempt to take credit for it. He further mentioned that the incumbent provincial government focused on the speedy completion of this low-cost housing scheme, completing it within a short period of one and a half years. He lauded the efforts of the Housing Department and others for prioritizing and completing the project and added that the provincial government provided a subsidy of 400,000 rupees per flat under this scheme.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024