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Friday, November 07, 2008

PM launches housing scheme for low-income workers

* One million housing units to be built under the scheme
* Gilani says project will create jobs * MQM will soon join federal cabinet

By Irfan Ghauri

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani launched a housing scheme for low-income workers on Thursday, and announced the construction of one million housing units across the country as part of the project. Addressing a ceremony at his secretariat, Gilani said the programme would include 5-marla houses in rural areas, and apartments and 80 square-yard plots in urban areas. The scheme also includes a house or an apartment for each government employee on or before retirement. Gilani said the private sector would carry out most of the construction. The Housing and Finance ministries, the provincial governments and the Federal Board of Revenue would provide fiscal, sectoral and regulatory incentives to facilitate local and foreign builders, he added. The prime minister said the government had reshaped the housing sector into an industry, which will generate employment opportunities and revive the economy by helping linked indigenous industries. Gilani said the banking sector and micro-credit institutions would provide mortgage finance to the poor on affordable terms. The Pakistan Housing Authority and other wings of the Ministry of Housing have already launched 12 pilot projects in Quetta, Lahore and Islamabad, the prime minister said. Memorandums of understanding have been signed with multinational companies and countries including the UAE, Canada, Germany, the US, Malaysia, Egypt and China for the project, he added, and will ‘serve as guideline to bring direct foreign investment to Pakistan’. He said the project would include a quota for journalists, and for low-income employees of the federal government that belong to the minorities or have made meritorious services. MQM: Talking to reporters after the ceremony, Gilani said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) would join the federal cabinet soon. “Altaf Bhai is our friend and we have invited the MQM to join the cabinet,” APP quoted him as saying. “Inshallah, they will definitely join [the cabinet].” With the expansion in cabinet, he said a minister would head each government department and would be answerable to the parliament. “With the number of National Assembly and Senate members reaching around 350 and 100, the government required more federal ministers and ministers of state to respond to the queries of the parliamentarians,” Gilani said while responding to a question. Asked why President Zardari had gone to Saudi Arabia with a large delegation of 200, he said the president had funded his own tour. He also denied the government had differences with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam over the allotment of ministries.
Courtesy Daily Times

 

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