Apni Chhat Apna Ghar negligence won't be tolerated: Maryam
Maryam Nawaz Sharif has declared the ‘Apni Chhat Apna Ghar’ programme and its related initiatives as the Punjab government’s flagship projects. She warned officials that no negligence in implementing these schemes would be tolerated.
Chairing a meeting on the ‘Apni Chhat Apna Ghar’ and ‘Apni Zameen Apna Ghar’ programmes, the chief minister gave final approval to the new ‘Apna Ghar, Mehfooz Ghar’ initiative. The programme is designed to help prevent tragedies like the recent Kahna roof collapse.
Maryam Nawaz directed the authorities to introduce a new category under the ‘Apni Chhat Apna Ghar’ programme within three days. She also instructed officials to further simplify the process of obtaining home construction loans.
Under the ‘Apna Ghar, Mehfooz Ghar’ programme, homeowners living in dilapidated houses or homes with weak roofs will receive financial assistance of up to Rs500,000 for repairs and safety improvements. The government will also provide interest-free loans of up to Rs1,000,000, repayable in easy instalments, for constructing an additional storey or floor.
During the meeting, officials reported that more than 180,000 homeless families have been approved for interest-free loans under the ‘Apni Chhat Apna Ghar’ programme. More than 170,000 families have already received loans, while a total of Rs217.8 billion has been released for the project.
The briefing revealed that 134,343 houses have been completed across Punjab under the programme, while nearly 27,500 more houses are in the final stages of construction. Officials also said that more than 1.278 million homeless families have applied for housing assistance.
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The meeting was informed that 2,000 residential plots have been distributed across 23 districts under the ‘Apni Zameen Apna Ghar’ programme. Officials also presented a report on rehabilitation and development work in those areas.
Maryam Nawaz said good governance is demonstrated through practical action rather than words during difficult times. She announced that the 2,000 families who received free government plots would also be provided with loans to build their homes.
The chief minister directed the authorities to make home construction loans even easier to obtain. She said the Punjab government would continue supporting families living in unsafe houses by helping them repair weak roofs and improve the safety of their homes.
Reaffirming her commitment, Maryam Nawaz said the ‘Apni Chhat Apna Ghar’ programme and all related initiatives remain the Punjab government’s top priority. She instructed officials not to place any additional burden on poor families and ordered that the eligibility criteria for obtaining loans should remain unchanged.
