MULTAN, Jan 6: The Multan Development Authority (MDA) has granted ownership rights to around 3,328 residents of kutcha abadis in the district.

This was stated by MDA Director General Col Asif Jamal at a press conference here on Sunday.

The DG said there were 27 kutcha abadis in the district, 16 of which were controlled by the authority.

He said as many as 6,014 families lived in the abadis were controlled by the MDA. The last date for the submission of applications for the ownership rights was Dec 31 last, he said, adding scores of people failed to meet the deadline mainly because of financial stringency to pay even the minimal rates of the land.

He said the department was making efforts to convince the provincial government of extending the date of filing applications so that a maximum number of the residents could benefit from the scheme.

The MDA chief said survey teams had been constituted to understand the development needs of the kutcha abadis. He said a meeting of the councillors and Nazims of the union councils would soon be convened to address the problems dwellers in the localities faced.

The localities were declared kutcha abadis in 1985 while in 1987, the development work was carried out last.