July 26, 2003	Saturday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 25, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, July 25: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) is expected to approve the development of sector G-13 of the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) at a cost of Rs3.1 billion early next month.

The Foundation has made a commitment with the Ecnec that it would not burden the allottees with additional development charges and would rather refund some amount to them because a reasonable surplus amount would be available after completion of the development work.

The meeting of the Ecnec was scheduled for July 30 but postponed for the time being, a senior official at the planning commission said.

The summary for the Ecnec available with Dawn suggests that overall rate of residential plots being charged from the allotees of G-13 is Rs1,550 per sq yard. On the basis of it, total recoveries are estimated at Rs4.448 billion. After meeting the development cost of Rs3.1 billion, a surplus of Rs1.342 billion is expected for meeting the unforeseen expenditures.

The FGEHF has informed the Ecnec that land possession is being taken over in stages and there is no dispute on land or built up property.

The housing foundation also submitted steps for the development of the sector. It said appropriate measures towards taking and maintaining the physical possession of Sector G-13 area have been taken. Assistant commissioner has deputed his staff with the housing foundation to assist in the physical possession activities.

A jeepable track around and inside Sector G-13 has been made. Security huts and sentry posts have been constructed at all corners and round-the-clock security guards are deployed for strict watch and ward.

A bulldozer has been commissioned at site and the built up properties are being demolished. Boundary marks established by Survey of Pakistan have been verified by the staff of CDA and the housing foundation. The sectoral boundary and plot lines of the sector have been laid and the road marking is in progress.

The CDA has already advertised for the pre-qualification of consultants for detailed designing etc and their proposals are being reviewed.

The housing scheme in Sector G-13 was floated in 1996 and the residential plots have already been allotted to the employees of federal government, autonomous and semi autonomous organizations and public corporations, journalists, retired government employees and their widows and the judges of the supreme and high courts.

Acquisition of land was completed in December 2001 and payment of Rs1.563 billion against the cost of land and compensation of built up properties have been made by the housing foundation to land acquisition collector, Islamabad capital territory administration.

In this sector, besides 5,969 residential plots of sizes 111 to 500 sq. yards, a commercial centre (markaz), sub-sectoral shopping centres and adequate number of sites for parts and play fields, schools and mosques would be developed on 706.61 acres area. The overall “saleable area” would be 350 acres, which is 49 per cent of the gross area. The project would be implemented in 36 months on self-financing basis with any allocation from the government.

The project is a part of National Housing Policy approved by the federal government in 2001. Under the policy, the public sector would continue acting as facilitator in provision of developed sites and services.

Around 50 per cent housing backlog will be cleared, while the annual incremental demand to be fully met through increased supply. Katchi abadies will be regularised and environmentally upgraded.

More incentives would be given to maximise the private sector’s role in housing construction besides increasing resource mobilisation through banks and DFIs. Rural housing will be promoted by granting proprietary rights to the shelterless living on Shamlat Deh and State land.

Under the devolution plan, the implementation of new housing projects including Katchi Abadis upgradation and Sasti Bastis and model villages will now be the provincial responsibility and implemented by the district administrations. However, the construction of housing and office buildings for public servants and constabulary armed forces will continue to be the responsibility of the federal government, the summary said.