The Urban Unit, urban sector policy & management unit of the provincial government, has planned to carry out computerization of urban land record in selective districts of the province to ensure better functioning of land and housing markets. The Government of Punjab under the instructions of Chief Minister Punjab plans to develop a computerized system of urban land records, starting with Lahore and then covering the entire Punjab in the next three years.
It may be mentioned here that it would be the second big step of the provincial government after computerization of land record of selective rural areas. The computerization of urban land is aimed at to remove range of impediments in the way of efficient urban land and housing market performance which included excessive public land ownership, inadequate infrastructure services, weak property rights, counterproductive urban planning policies and regulations etc.
The Company (Urban Unit) which started as a Project Management Unit (PMU) and later transformed in to an independent private company had on its credit of already computerizing property tax mechanism in six districts of the province. The districts where property tax has been computerized are Sialkot, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Multan and Faisalabad.
It was formed to facilitate government-run agencies, private entities and donor agencies with reliable and legitimate technical advisory services. The aim is to achieve socio-economic goals in public servicing as cities become engines of growth and to improve the way people live, work and play in the future cities of Pakistan. The Urban Unit CEO Dr Nasir Javed told Business Recorder on Saturday that land is the most precious asset but we lack in keeping the record of this asset. This hinders the way of robust growth of urban economy and computerization is aimed at providing secured title and bringing the land in to economic activities in true manner.
Initially it will be launched in the selective big urban hubs of the province and later the whole province will be computerized in three years time, Dr Nasir Javed added. He said that the Unit had also recently launched a three months vocational and skill development training programme at no cost to enrolees. Dr Nasir Javed said, "Unemployment is a major impediment to our economic development whereas the lack of a skilled labour force is the major reason why our national productivity is currently at a sub-optimal state. With targeted skill development initiatives such as vocational training programs, we seek to empower our nation's unemployed yet capable labour force."
Under the program, enrolees can enhance their skills in three unique disciplines which have been developed specifically by Urban Unit for the capacity building and skill enhancement of program participants. The three vocational training courses being offered are for the roles of GIS Surveyor, Tube Wells and Pumps Operator and Solid Waste Management Field Inspector. Each course is accredited by the Punjab Board of Technical Education and registered with the Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA).
He said that some of the key projects of the Urban Unit include, Punjab Cities Governance Improvement Project, Pakistan Sustainable Transport (PAKSTRAN) Project, Integrated Strategic Development Program for Lahore Region 2035, Establishment of Intelligent Transport System for Metro Bus Service (MBS) Lahore, Punjab Intermediate Cities Improvement Investment Program, Urban Immovable Property Tax Project, Changa Paani Program, Drafting the Punjab Municipal Water Act 2011, technical support for the establishment of the Lahore Waste Management Company and organizing the first ever Pakistan Urban Forum in 2011.