‘Govt to offer land for houses at low rates’

LAHORE: The Urban Unit presented options on low cost sustainable housing schemes across Punjab to Punjab Housing Minister Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed in a follow-up meeting in response to the minister’s directions to prepare a feasibility plan of five million houses under the Prime Minister’s initiative.

The presentation included design options, construction details, construction material choices, identification of cities with acute shortage of housing for poor and types of 3-5-marla houses/apartments for homeless people in Punjab. The meeting was chaired by Punjab Minister for Housing at the Urban Unit whereas Vice Chairman Lahore Development Authority SM Imran, CEO Urban Unit Salman Hashmi, COO Abid Hussaini and senior team of Urban Unit also participated in the discussion.

Ms Nadia Qureshi, Senior Specialist Urban Architecture, presented the proposed vertically expanded small units in four-storey buildings in order to make optimum use of the space available. She shared design structure and its financial costing models along with details of per unit scale inclusive of development charges on state owned land. The Urban Unit shared comprehensive construction models of small houses and apartments in Sialkot, Chiniot, Lodhran, Okara and Renala Khurd while proposing 20 percent subsidy for the poor. The unit’s urban planning team asserted that the homework done on details of construction can bring down the per unit rate to as low as 8 lakh to 14 lakh rupees – that will be quite affordable for low income class. The Khuda ki Basti in Hyderabad was presented as a successful case study before Punjab government sets out for construction phase. The unit stressed on the need to mobilise PHATA for implementation as being the primary agency the execution will be its mandate while Urban Unit will be offering complete technical and strategic assistance where and when required. “The Urban Unit has come up with some exceptional designs and feasibility of low cost housing options which is very much commendable. We will initiate this housing plan by offering 3-5-marla low cost residences in the beginning in Faisalabad and Multan first, and after feedback the scheme will be replicated in the rest of Punjab. The focus is to facilitate those who cannot think of owning their house even after years of struggle since housing is not only a necessity but also a basic right of every citizen.

prosecution: Punjab Minister for Public Prosecution Chaudhary Zaheerud Din has said that since the inception of PTI government, Centre for Professional Development (CPD) has conducted 12 training courses up till now, imparting training to 278 prosecutors.

Chairing a meeting at CPD here Thursday, Chaudhary Zaheerud Din said that human resource was the most valuable asset to any organisation. He said the prosecutorial independence of the Punjab Criminal Prosecution Service (PCPS) would be ensured so that an effective and efficient service for the prosecution of criminal cases could be provided to the citizens. He said the government wanted to make the CPD a world-class training institution for prosecutors. He emphasised the CPD to proactively identify prosecutors’ training requirements with possible solutions and work with partners across the criminal justice system.