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 (By Zafar Chishti, Bureau Chief Punjab Pakistan)

Digital approval system and strict action against illegal housing schemes to transform housing sector in Faisalabad

Faisalabad: A meeting of the Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) Governing Body was held under the chairmanship of Raja Jahangir Anwar. The implementation of reforms in the Punjab Development Authorities Private Housing Schemes Rules 2021 was approved during the meeting. These reforms had earlier been endorsed by the Punjab Cabinet following recommendations prepared by a cabinet sub committee led by the Punjab minister for Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering. The reforms focus on streamlining the approval process for private housing schemes, post-approval process and the regularization of illegal schemes. During the meeting, approval was also granted to deliberate on a proposal to sell 284 residential plots in FDA City to Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) instead of offering them to the general public through balloting on four-year installments. Director General FDA Muhammad Asif Chaudhry briefed 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 meeting was attended by senior officials including Additional Commissioner Coordination Tanveer Murtaza, Additional Director General FDA Qaiser Abbas Randhawa, Chief Engineer Mehr Ayub, and directors Asma Mohsin, Yasir Ejaz Chattha and Sohail Maqsood Pannu along with representatives from the Finance Department, Local Government, Planning and Development, and Housing and Urban Development Department. Speaking on the occasion, Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar emphasized the need to further strengthen the legal framework for private housing schemes to make it more comprehensive, organized and aligned with future requirements. He welcomed the reforms approved by the Punjab 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 will be effectively implemented and new housing schemes will be approved through a digital approval system. This system will standardize 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 has also been proposed against illegal developments and other violations along with a mechanism for the regularization of illegal housing schemes.Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar directed authorities to take effective measures to protect citizens from fraud related to illegal housing schemes and to ensure strict enforcement of land subdivision rules.

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