‘6,000 houses to be constructed by end of year’

ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Construction was informed on Thursday that 16,000 houses would be constructed under Akhuwat project by the end of this year as the prime minister stated that increased construction activities would accelerate economic activities and provide employment opportunities to the people.

While chairing weekly meeting of NCC for Housing, Construction and Development, Prime Minister Imran Khan, on Thursday was informed that around 258 projects of ABAD in Sindh were awaiting approval.

ABAD requested the prime minister that the federal government should help accelerate the process of approval.

The prime minister directed the chief secretaries to speed up the approval process.

The meeting was informed that the government had provided Rs5 billion to the social organisation for construction of houses for low-income group, and in view of the importance and success of this project, the government decided to provide another Rs5 billion to Akhuwat.

The prime minister also directed to formulate a new course of action with regards to new societies and construction projects as well as existing unapproved or illegal housing societies, and placed their activities online on website, so that the overseas Pakistanis and citizens investing in these projects could be saved from fraud.

The chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) informed the meeting with regard to automation and digitisation of transfer of properties etc.

The meeting was informed that so far since January 1, 403 construction projects have been accorded approval which yielded Rs735.5 million profit to the CDA.

Later on, chairing a meeting on essential commodities, the prime minister sought a comprehensive plan to meet the future needs and any emergency situation with regard to prices and availability of essential items in sufficient quantity.

He stressed for strengthening inter-provincial coordination to end disparity in prices of essential items.

The prime minister directed to increase the number of godowns for the storage of edible items on modern lines.—ZAHEER ABBASI