LAHORE: The Punjab government has inserted in its (official residence) allotment policy the recently notified house requisition scheme, also allowing rent-free official accommodation to the families of officials who die while in service.

The house requisition facility of rental ceiling for hiring of residential accommodation has been introduced on the analogy of the federal government for the employees of the Punjab Civil Secretariat borne on the cadre strength of the S&GAD, posted in the secretariat and drawing pay from its payroll.

It will be allowed in case of the unavailability of the government accommodation. The beneficiaries will not be entitled to house rent allowance.

Families of those who died in harness to get rent-free homes

Officials said the new policy would rid the government of lengthy and huge litigation it would face at the hands of those not allotted official residences or whose allotment was cancelled due to any reason.

The number of the entitled employees was much more than the available residences in Lahore and handling the issue had been a pain in the neck, an official said. And the policy will benefit those not able to get an official residence.

According to them, the new policy was notified on May 31 and it had been incorporated in the S&GAD’s allotment policy 1997.

According to the new scheme as has already been notified, those availing themselves of the new facility would be given the following monthly allowance: BS-1 and 2 (Rs3,254), BS-3 to 6 (Rs5,083), BS-7 to 10 (Rs7,594), BS-11 to 13 (Rs11,455), BS-14 to 16 (Rs14,391), BS-17 and 18 (Rs19,049), BS-19 (Rs25,326), BS-20 (Rs31,806), BS-21 (Rs38,084) and BS-22 (Rs45,576).

The amended allotment policy says a government servant who is transferred out of Lahore or is no more serving at the cadre strength of the S&GAD in the Civil Secretariat will lose his or her eligibility for the house requisition after three months of the date of his or her transfer.

Those living in government residences would have to vacate them for availing the facility.

The same allotment policy provides that in the event of the death of an allottee, his or her spouse may be granted permission to retain the government residence till the date of his or superannuation without paying any rent.

A widow who is a government servant and is in the same grade of her deceased husband would be allotted the residence allotted to him. If the house is above the entitlement of her pay scale, she will be allotted another residence accordingly on out of turn basis.

Children of a deceased official will be allowed an official residence for five years. The family of a deceased officer will be given alternate accommodation if he was living in a designated house at the time of his death.

The families of those who die in accidents, sectarian violence, bomb blasts or in acts of terrorism will be given official accommodation even if the deceased officials were not allotted any in the past. They will live in these residences till the date of his or her superannuation.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2018