ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan was briefed on progress on the Sapphire-Bay project under the Ravi City on Thursday. He was informed that the revenue, to be received from the 2,000-acre project, had been estimated at Rs25 billion. Besides, the project would generate a total of Rs150 billion in economic activities.
Two more Ravi City sub-projects including Zones 4, 5, 7 and the island would soon be available for investment. The revenue received by the government from these was estimated to be Rs130 billion in total and together it will lead to economic activities of Rs750-900 billion.
Thus, the PM was informed that the work started on 15,000 acres of Ravi City project would result in a total economic activity of Rs1,000 billion by December this year, which would provide ample employment opportunities in the country.
He was presiding over a review meeting on Ravi Urban Development Authority and Central Business District. The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati, Minister of State Farrukh Habib, Special Assistant Dr Shahbaz Gill, Chairman New Pakistan Housing Authority Lt-Gen (retd) Anwar Ali Haider, Vice Chairman LDA Sheikh Muhammad Imran and senior officials concerned.
Also present were Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen, Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Dr Salman Shah, Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Chief Secretary Punjab Jawad Rafique Malik, Babar Hayat Tarar, Member Board of Revenue, CEO Ravi Urban Development Authority Imran Amin. Chairman Central Business District Irfan Elahi and other officers participated through video-link.
The meeting was informed that recently contacts have been made with all major universities of the country for opening campuses at the Ravi City, to which positive response has started pouring in. In addition, a memorandum of understanding has been signed with the Swiss company Leung-Stone Green-Tech, which will assist in development of international standard farms in Zone 3 with modern agricultural technology. This step has been taken keeping in view the growing food needs of the country.
The meeting was informed that a young leadership programme was launched to ensure youth participation in the Ravi City project in which 25,000 applications have been received so far. From June this year, the first batch of young people would start regular work.
With reference to the Central Business District, the PM was informed that the land had been identified in the first sub-phase in which local and foreign investors were showing keen interest. In addition, the Railways and the Central Business District Authority would jointly launch construction projects on the railway lands to utilise the unused railway land.
Emphasising timely completion of the projects, the PM said Ravi City and Central Business District would boost economic activities in the country, which would create employment opportunities, reduce the population pressure on Lahore and citizens would be provided with the international standard accommodation.
He stressed importance of formulating master plans for major cities at the earliest, saying that the pace at which unorganised and unplanned urban boundaries were increasing was not only detrimental to the environment but there were also serious risks of food security and administrative problems.
While presiding over weekly meeting of the National Coordination Committee for Housing, Construction and Development here, he directed the Punjab chief secretary to formulate green areas protection plan and implementation strategy immediately as a national emergency.
The government has provided easy and low-cost loans to weaker sections of society for employment, loans to low-income people to build private homes, health cards and at least to the poorest families. He entrusted the finance minister with the responsibility of formulating and presenting a comprehensive plan for imparting technical and professional skills to the individuals.
It was 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 could be protected.
The meeting was given briefing regarding the Green Building Code, prepared by the Ministry of Environment. It was also decided to implement Green Building Code as a pilot project through New Pakistan Housing Projects.
The Green Building Code covers energy saving, water saving, construction materials, indoor air quality, thermal comfort and location and transportation. Applying the Green Building Code, the meeting was told, reduces energy consumption by 24 to 50 per cent, carbon emissions by 33 to 35 per cent, water savings by 40 per cent, and solid waste by about 70 per cent. While the additional cost of implementing the green code is extremely low, that can be met in two to three years.
The meeting was briefed in detail on the restructuring of master plans of major cities of the country and the progress made so far in this regard. The chief secretaries of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa briefed the PM on the progress made so far in formulation of master plans for major cities of the provinces.
The KP chief secretary said that a new law was being introduced for protection of green areas, land use and especially for the approval of housing societies.
Emphasising the protection of green areas, the PM said a green Pakistan was essential for protection of our future generations and for providing them with a better environment. He called for ensuring full public participation in efforts to protect green areas.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) deputy governor briefed the PM on the loans provided by banks for construction of houses for low-income people, the problems faced by people and the steps to be taken to solve them.
Meanwhile, SBP Governor Reza Baqir met Prime Minister Imran Khan here and discussed with him the Roshan Digital Account project. The SBP governor informed the PM that after his visit to Saudi Arabia, there had been an increase in the use of bright digital accounts by Pakistanis residing there, which is having a significant positive effect on foreign exchange reserves.
PM Imran Khan met Vice Chairman Toyota Motor Corporation Shinji Yanaji and CEO Indus Motors Ali Asghar Jamali. The PM was informed in the meeting that Toyota was keenly interested in starting local manufacturing of hybrid technology in the auto industry in Pakistan. The PM was also apprised of the growing confidence of foreign investors in large-scale industries.