LAHORE: The Punjab government is introducing a house requisition policy for its employees entitled to get official residences most probably as per the rates being offered by the federal government to its servants in all grades.

According to official sources, the policy has been devised in view of the provincial government’s inability to allot official residences in Lahore to all its entitled employees.

There are nearly 3,000 houses in five GORs in the provincial metropolis for cabinet members, judges and senior bureaucrats, and two colonies, one in Wahdat Colony and another in Chauburji, for junior officials.

Initially all provincial government employees were entitled to get houses in these GORs and colonies but the entitlement was curtailed to those of the Lahore Court, Punjab Assembly and Services and General Administration Department in 1999.

This was done after finding that majority houses were being occupied by doctors, teachers and other officials of the largest health and education departments.

Sources informed Dawn on Saturday that the house requisition policy was being finalised in view of huge demands for official residences which were limited in number. There was a huge waiting list and mind-boggling litigation.

Constructing more GORs or colonies was not possible at the moment due to shortage of funds. Therefore, a committee formed by the government under the provincial secretary (services) has recommended to launch the house requisition policy for the employees of the three entities.

The rates would match those of the federal government, and the policy would soon be announced after a formal approval by the chief minister.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2017