TOBA TEK SINGH: The Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) governing body on Tuesday approved the implementation of the mechanisms for the reforms introduced in the Punjab Development Authorities Private Housing Schemes Rules 2021.

The meeting was chaired by Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar and attended by FDA Director General Muhammad Asif Chaudhry, Additional Commissioner (Coordination) Tanveer Murtaza, FDA Additional Director General Qaiser Abbas Randhawa, Chief Engineer Mehr Ayub, and directors Asma Mohsin, Yasir Ejaz Chattha, and Sohail Maqsood Pannu.

A press release said that these reforms had earlier been endorsed by the Punjab Cabinet following recommendations prepared by a cabinet sub-committee led by the Punjab Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering minister.

The reforms focus on streamlining the approval process for private housing schemes, post-approval process and the regularisation of illegal schemes. During the meeting, approval was also granted to deliberate on a proposal to sell 284 residential plots in the FDA City to Fesco instead of offering them to the general public through balloting on four-year installments.

DG Chaudhry briefed the participants on the housing reforms approved by the Punjab cabinet, terming them highly beneficial and appropriate in ensuring transparency and improving regulatory frameworks in the housing sector. He also outlined the institutional benefits and procedure for the proposed sale of plots to Fesco.

The commissioner emphasised the need to further strengthen the legal framework for private housing schemes to make it more comprehensive, organised, and aligned with future requirements. He welcomed the reforms approved by the cabinet, stating that their effective implementation would help control issues related to illegal housing schemes.

It was highlighted that under the new reforms, a housing society management system would be effectively implemented and new housing schemes would be approved through a digital approval system. This system would standardise the issuance of no-objection certificates (NOCs) from departments such as Environment, Irrigation, Wasa, Solid Waste Management, and soil testing authorities.

The reforms also include provisions for introducing a new category of affordable housing schemes for low-income groups, release of mortgaged plots, regulation of advertisements of private housing schemes, disposal of public building sites, registration of property dealers and establishment of an effective monitoring and enforcement mechanism.

Strict punitive action had also been proposed against illegal developments and other violations, along with a mechanism for the regularisation of illegal housing schemes.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2026