RAWALPINDI:The Punjab government has established dedicated facilitation desks in various offices, including those of deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners and Punjab Housing

and Town Planning Agency (PHATA) to streamline applications for the ‘Apni Chhat Apna Ghar’ scheme.

The Punjab government established facilitation desks in offices of deputy commissioner, assistant Commissioners and Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency (PHATA) to receive applications for ‘Apni Chhat Apna Ghar’ scheme.

Talking to Dawn, PHATA Director General Saif Anwar Jappa said that in last two days, we received 5,000 applications across the province including Rawalpindi and the facilitation desks will receive applications in next eight to 10 days.

“After getting applications, balloting will be held and the loan worth Rs1.5 million with zero interest will be given to the successful applicants to construct their houses,” he said.

He said that the people would submit their applications online as well as and if they had no facility then they would come to assistant commissioners and Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency (PHATA) offices where the staff will submit their application on spot and facilitate them.

He said that there was no charges for the application and no expenditure required.

“People having five marla land in urban area, 10 marla in rural area can also apply for loan for construction of houses.

The family which had income less than 60,000 Pakistani rupees can apply,” he said.

He said that in all the housing schemes in big cities under administrative control of PHATA, we will also allocate space for three marla houses and Punjab government will bear the expenditures.

Mr. Jappa said that the basic aim of the loan scheme launched by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was to solve the problem of low income families who had no mean to construct their own shelter.

“Though, it is no big amount, yet it is enough to construct two rooms, kitchen and bathroom,” he said.

For return of loan, he said that the family who would get the loan will return it in easy installments without any interest in seven years.

He said that the maps of the houses will be designed with the joint collaboration of government of Punjab and Pakistan Council for Architect and Town planning.

They also provide basic amenities like water, electricity and sanitation, he said.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2024