LAHORE, Sept 15: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has ordered the provincial Board of Revenue to identify the state land near cities for an early start of housing projects for government employees.

The direction was issued at a briefing of the provincial housing, urban development and public health engineering department here on Monday.

The CM also directed that an autonomous authority be set up for early execution of housing schemes. The authority would handle the financial and management affairs of the housing schemes and ensure provision of basic amenities there.

He said such land must be identified in all 34 districts of the province, including the provincial capital.

The chief minister said the House Building Finance Corporation and scheduled banks had offered soft loans for the housing schemes (to be initiated by the provincial government).

He also directed that the committee headed by the chief secretary to recommend ways for making the housing department effective and dynamic should continue its work. The committee is expected to shortly put forward its recommendations for the approval of the chief minister.

He said the execution of housing schemes would help several small and medium industries related to construction and generate thousands of jobs.