Under the projects for 2020 and 2021, 25,017 and 39,955 more housing units would be constructed at the estimated costs of Rs. 112.03 and Rs. 184 billion, respectively.

Prime Minister Imran Khan was informed that the ten projects of the Federal Government Housing Authority (FGHA) are facing delay, but now with the revival of work on 38,637 new housing units will be built at an approximate cost of Rs. 120.21 billion.

Similarly, work on three projects of the Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) Foundation, which were facing delay was also being restored and as a result of which 5,372 housing units will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 27.86 billion.

PM was apprised of this during the weekly meeting of the National Coordination Committee on Housing, Construction and Development held with the prime minister in the chair.

The Ministry of Housing briefed the premier in detail about the revival of work on federal government’s projects, which were facing delay, construction of housing units owing to the ongoing and future projects and their estimated costs.

The prime minister was told that as a result of the ongoing projects 26,625 housing units will be constructed at the cost of Rs. 213.4 billion. Whereas under the projects of the years 2020 and 2021, 25,017 and 39,955 housing units would be constructed at the estimated costs of Rs. 112.03 and Rs. 184 billion, respectively.

The meeting was further told that as a result of the provision of Rs. 3 billion to the Akhuwat Foundation by the federal government, the construction process of 5,882 housing units is in progress. Another 4,000 housing units will be constructed due to the provision of another Rs. 2 billion.

It may be mentioned here that the federal government was providing Rs. 5 billion as easy credit for the construction of housing units for low-income groups through the Akhuwat Foundation.

The Punjab chief secretary briefed the meeting about the application “Real-Time Construction Monitoring Dashboard” created for the monitoring of the construction process in the province. The chief secretary told the meeting that the projects approved so far had an estimated construction cost of Rs. 84.5 billion which does not include the price of land.

It was further told that id the World Bank estimate, which says that one dollar spent in the construction sector creates economic activity worth 5 dollars, is taken into account, Rs. 422.5 billion of economic activities have been approved. It will help create job opportunities for the youth besides promoting various industries, the meeting was told.

The meeting was also apprised of the approvals made regarding the construction of multi-storey buildings in Lahore city. The chief secretary briefed the meeting about the enhanced construction activities particularly the fact and figures of the sale of bricks, cement and other construction material.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman briefed the meeting about the handing over of the responsibility of Metropolitan Corporation to the CDA, hardships faced by the people relating to the road network, sewerage and other civic amenities during the last five years and the CDA’s plan of action for their redressal.

The prime minister said that the construction sector had a vital role in boosting economic activities as well as in the revival of the economy affected by the COVID-19. He directed the Naya Pakistan Housing Authority chairman, provincial chief secretaries and other officials concerned to fully focus on the promotion of the construction sector so that those efforts are not hindered at any stage.