SARID: Low Cost Housing Developments

LOW COST HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS

Minister for teamwork spirit in Local Bodies Department

UAE CG briefed on investment opportunities in Sindh

Uniform Building Bylaws Demanded

Low Cost Housing Schemes in Karachi be Replicated all over the Country

CDGK Plans Low-Cost Housing Project in Taysir Town

KCCI Demands Low-Cost Housing Schemes

More Low-Cost Housing Schemes to Solve Katchi Abadies Issue

HBFC to develop, finance-housing schemes of about 1000 houses in Gwadar

Need for Low Cost Houses

Low Cost Housing Schemes For Shelterless Launched

Ibad for Transparency, Quality Work in Taiser Town

Governor Orders Allotment Of Land In Accordance With Master Plan

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MINISTER FOR TEAMWORK SPIRIT IN LOCAL BODIES DEPARTMENT
The Pakistan Newswire, October 1, 2006

Sindh Minister for Local Government, Katchi Abadis and Spatial Development Muhammad Hussain Khan has said that the success of any department lies in the teamwork and as the Local Government Department has so may wings, it is essential that close coordination and liaison be maintained at every level so as to run the department, more effectively. This he said during a briefing by various heads of Local Government Department. He said that Local Government Department should become an example for other departments by its performance. He directed for transparent and judicious use of development funds in the larger interest of the masses.

To achieve this goal the officers of the department will have to discharge their duties with utmost devotion and dedication, he observed. He further said that the problems being confronted by various wings of the department will be taken up with the concerned authorities and an amicable solution will be found as early as possible.

He said that officers are welcome to contact him any time but warned that he will not tolerate practice of concealing any information, and such officers will be dealt with severely. He also sought a report on complaints that a private company is constructing costly houses in the name of low cost housing in Teesar Town. Additional Chief Secretary, Local Government Mirza Karim Baig pointed out that due to non-availability of any binding law, District Governments and Town Municipal Administrations are reluctant to comply with the directives of Local Government Department, because of which the department is unable to exercise its control over these administrations.

Briefing the minister, Special Secretary Housing Town Planning Wing, Raeesuddin Paracha informed that Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) in compliance of the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan is conducting a survey of buildings of Karachi to ascertain their nature of strength and resistance against an earthquake.

He further informed that the governing bodies of Malir Development Authority (MDA) and Hyderabad Development Authority (HAD) have been finalized while the same of Lyari Development Authority (LDA) is in the process of finalization.

UAE CG BRIEFED ON INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN SINDH
The Pakistan Newswire, September 17, 2006

United Arab Emirates (UAE) Consul General Sohail Matar Saeed H. Al-Ketbi on Saturday called on the Sindh Chief Minister Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim at Chief Minister's House here. The envoy discussed in length investment opportunities available in the province.

Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim apprised the visiting envoy that agro-based industry in Sindh needs state-of-the-art cold storage and had potential for value addition in fruits and vegetables for making juices, pulp, concentrates of mangoes, citrus, peaches, bananas, melon etc., especially for exports to Middle East. He further informed that there exists scarcity of low-cost housing and one million houses were needed on priority. He offered that if any construction company shows interest the government would collaborate with it on soft terms.

Dr. Arbab further informed the distinguee visitor about potential in tourism industry and sightseeing of old civilization of Moin-jo-Daro/ Harrappa. He also mentioned developing tourism resort at Gorrakh Hill station, developing sea resorts at some 75-kilometer of coastal belt including Hawksbay/Sandspit, etc. He said Thar Desert Safari; a unique event could also catch interest of the potential investors.

They also discussed few other topics during the meeting. Chairman CMIC Muslim Abbasi pointed out that fisheries sector needs revamping. He said that immense potential was there in sectors of livestock and dairies, solid waster management and its recycling, sewage, desalination plants, coal and granite at Thar and Nagarparkar, etc. The envoy showed great interest in all the projects and promised to circulate the available opportunities amongst members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in UAE and other relevant quarters to seek joint ventures and collaborations.

UNIFORM BUILDING BYLAWS DEMANDED
Business Recorder, August 26, 2006

Chairman of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) sub-committee on housing and construction Munir Sultan has demanded of the government to impose uniform building bylaws in the city.

He made his demand during a meeting of the sub-committee held at the KCCI on Friday. He said different agencies, including Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA), Cantonment board, Defence Housing Authority, etc, are controlling different areas of the city and have different building bylaws, which are creating problems for builders and developers.

He said one authority allows construction of building up to 20 floors whereas the other agency restricts to only eight floors. He also advised architectures, engineers, builders and developers to carefully study building bylaws to have a clear knowledge. He said the government should also direct the KBCA, Cantonment board and other agencies to upload building bylaws on web sites.

Munir Sultan also demanded the provincial government should provide land to builders at the same rate at which it provide land to the Karachi Development Authority, Malir Development Authority, Lyari Development Authority, etc, so that builders could initiate low-cost housing schemes. He informed participants of the meeting a delegation would soon meet the KBCA chief and discuss building regularisation plan. He pointed out the government was suffering huge losses due to non-renewal of leases of a number of old buildings.

Copyright 2006 Business Recorder

LOW COST HOUSING SCHEMES IN KARACHI BE REPLICATED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY
Pakistan Press International, July 28, 2006

President General Pervez Musharraf has lauded low cost housing schemes for people belonging to poor and middle class in Karachi and emphasized these should be replicated throughout the country. State land should be utilized for housing schemes to the poor people in the country, the President said while speaking Thursday at second computerized ballot for allotment of residential plots to the people in Taiser Town, Malir Development Project of City District Government Karachi.

He appreciated the efforts of Sindh Governor and City Nazim Karachi for speeding up allotment of residential plots to the people in Taiser Town at low cost and congratulated the allottees. Earlier in first phase, residential plots were allotted to people from poor and middle class in Taiser Town at affordable cost of Rs 40000 in a transparent manner with the assistance of National Database and Registration Authority NADRA.

President Musharraf stressed that concept of low cost must be ensured in all housing schemes. The housing development schemes must be undertaken all the cities and towns of the country, he added. The government was working on further accelerating economic development, controlling inflation, creating more job opportunities and alleviation of poverty in the country.

He said due to accelerated all round socio economic national growth, there was shortage of electricity. The government was fully aware of the difficulties being faced by the masses and taking corrective measures to address these. He said in Karachi there was power shortage of 2300 megawatts. The current supply was 2000 to 2100MW. In year 2007, 700 to 800mw electricity would be available in Karachi.

The President said power was also needed by industrial sector in Karachi. A short term of 30 to 40 new grid stations was a short-term measure. In next summer, there will be shortage of electricity but difficulties of people in this cosmopolitan will be minimized. However, in the summer of year 2008 the situation will be "comfortable. The problems in system of Karachi Electric Supply Corporation will be solved in one to two years," he added.

He spoke of provision of additional 1000 million gallons daily (mgd) for Karachi from K -111 project commissioned few months back. President Musharraf said construction of roads was underway in Karachi. In addition, four new under passes, four flyovers, transit rail system, elevated highway from Jinnah Bridge to Quaidabad were being constructed, which would ensure smooth flow of traffic all over Karachi.

He said most modern parks have been built at Clifton and old Sabzi mandi in Karachi. He asked City Nazim Karachi to ensure cleanliness in the city and install a solid waste plant.

CDGK PLANS LOW-COST HOUSING PROJECT IN TAYSIR TOWN
Global News Bites, July 20, 2006

The City District Government Karachi in collaboration with a US-based private company will construct low-cost housing scheme at Taiser Town on no profit no loss basis to provide living facilities to the citizens on affordable rates. The important thing of this scheme is that these houses will be earthquake resistant. It was stated by the City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal while inspecting a model house constructed by the private company at Taiser Town.

He said that the outer development works at Taiser Town Housing Scheme Phase-I would be completed by December, 2007 where 24,762 plots of 80 square yard were already allotted to the citizens, he said and adding that the draws of 30,000 plots of 120 square yards in Phase-II would soon be conducted.

To facilitate the loan, the city nazim said that the city government would also provide help to the allottees of 80-square yard at Taiser Town for getting loan from HBFC and other banks in easy Instalments. For the low-cost housing project, Mustafa Kamal informed the newsmen that the US Company, Sarid, Inc and other 10 companies had offered the city government to construct “Affordable Housing Project” at Taiser Town.

For this purpose, the US Company had built a model house so that the allottees could see it. “It will optional and on the will of allottees that they want to construct their houses through company or not. There is no binding and all allottees are allowed to construct houses on their own. But the city government has facilitated them to construct safe and comfortable house through company that will be available from Rs 300,000 to 350,000 which are less than 40 per cent rates from other housing scheme in the city”, the city nazim maintained.

Highlighting the silent feature of the project, the Project Director Of US Sarid, Inc. Javed Sultan said that the consumption of the time and cost was very low in this scheme and a house would be built in 3 to 4 weeks at an estimated cost of Rs 600 per square feet. “The structure specification is that a comfortable house will be built with insulated walls with U-value of 12 which will provide cool in summer and warm in winter. Besides, use of fan or mechanical cooling, is not anticipated. The tiled floors will be constructed in rooms, bathroom and kitchen. Rest of spaces will be sealed concrete. Paint and plaster will be executed at interior and exterior walls’, he said.

Sultan said that the company had designed earthquake resistant structure with UBC-Zone 3(designed for ground acceleration of .3g). The scheme would be built from 100 per cent local material with extensive use of soil cement technology, he added. The company would build house on ground floor with 2 rooms, bathroom, kitchen, dining area and internal courtyard, however, another floor would in option, he said.

KCCI DEMANDS LOW-COST HOUSING SCHEMES
Financial Times Information, May 23, 2006 Tuesday

Housing and Construction Industry sub-committee of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has urged the government to announce 80 to 200 sq. yards low cost housing schemes in Karachi.

This demand was made at a meeting of the Housing and Construction Industry sub-committee of the KCCI held on Saturday, under the chairmanship of Munir Sultan. The committee also demanded that the government should allot land in the vicinity of Karachi city for construction of 80 to 200 sq. yards housing scheme to overcome housing units shortage in the city. The committee pointed out that there is a shortage of around 6,200,000 housing units in the country.

The committee also recommended that the government should allow construction of 20 to 25 story building at vacant land in Marten Quarters.

The law should be allotted to construction companies to build low cost multi-story building on the specification of Karachi Building Control Authorities by-laws. The meeting noted that during the tenure of the previous government plots were allotted on political grounds in the country. But only in Karachi all allotments made during 1985 to 1997 were frozen. Whereas the builders obtained the plots legally.

The committee further noted that around Rs 130 billion of the general public were stuck up in these frozen land and urged the government for the early lifting of the ban on these land. The committee also recommended that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) should direct all the financial institutions to provide loan for the construction of houses and not for the purchase of houses.

The committee noted that Karachi Building Control Authority, Cantonment Board and Defence Housing Authority follow different building by-laws which are creating problems for builders and the general public. The committee recommended to the government to start an exercise so that all these agencies should fallow same by-laws.

The committee appreciated allowing import of cement to bring down cement prices locally. However, the committee expressed dismay on the utilisation of the scheme and alleged that manufactures of cement were the main importers of cement. The committee also alleged that the manufacturers as well as importers of cement are holding the stock to manipulate cement prices in future.

The committee demanded that the government should include a KCCI representative on the price control committee of the government The committee recommended to the government to prepare a master plan for Karachi on a war-footing to stop unplanned and haphazard construction in the city. The committee demanded released of frozen land.

Copyright 2006 Business Recorder

MORE LOW-COST HOUSING SCHEMES TO SOLVE KATCHI ABADIES ISSUE
Financial Times Information Limited, May 16. 2006

To make Karachi a truly developed international city is the dream of all Pakistanis, and it could be realised only when the face of this mega city is cleared from blemishes of ugly slums, encroachments and Katchi Abadies.

Perhaps with this in mind the present City District Government recently geared up a campaign to remove encroachments and bulldoze slums and villages. Though the motives behind it might be noble, but mere demolishing and razing is an utterly wrong prescription to cure the slum disease, as according to an estimate half of the population of Karachi lives in Katchi Abadies. And no government, however strong could dare displacing half of the population of a mega city like Karachi.

Hence this issue will stay till regularising these slums and more importantly providing low-cost residential plots, in bulk, to houseless poor people, whose number is growing due to both population rise and brisk influx from the rural areas. Uprooting of slums by bulldozing houses, huts and shanties is a poor and short-term solution. Poor people have no choice but to create encroachments. Land is a commodity. The poor do not have the resources to purchase it. If their huts in one illegal settlement were uprooted today they would make new ones tomorrow, most probably at the same place.

The failed operation of removing illegal encroachments on the main University Road directly opposite the Karachi University in an example of this phenomenon. A few months back, the city government had carried out a massive operation to remove hundreds of huts from this area. Dozens of vehicles, trucks, dumpers and tractors were used in this bulldozing. A large chunk of money was spent on the operation, carried out in presence of law enforcers. But, all these efforts and precious money of taxpayers went down the drain, as these huts and slums again resurfaced at the same site after a few weeks.

The example of Sikander Goth has proved that use of brutal force was either not an answer to this sensitive issue. What the administration has yet to understand that they are also human beings who live in these slums, and this is a human issue, which needed to be solved with a human face. Poor people do not live in slums, devoid of all basic facilities of life including water, electricity and sanitation, because they like them. They live there because they have no choice. They have no financial resources to buy a costly plot and build a house there.

It is the moral and constitutional duty of the government to provide them with a shelter to live in. If the authorities really wanted to get rid of slums and encroachments, the only option is to develop new mega schemes of low-cost housing to provide small plots to poor people on subsidised rates and easy terms.

The long queues before bank branches to obtain and deposit application forms for the Taiser Town has showed that there is a volcanic demand for low-cost plots in Karachi. In fact, not hundreds and thousands but millions of low-cost plots are needed to cater the needs of homeless masses of Karachi. This biggest city of Pakistan does not need small 'showcase' schemes but the real big ones. This matter needed to be included in top policy priorities of the government.

Moreover, not all slums could be relocated. In fact some Katchi Abadies, especially villages, are decades old, having mosques, churches, temples and graveyards. The government has spent millions of rupees to construct roads, build schools, dispensaries and other infrastructure in many of these villages. The people have also invested their hard-earned money to construct houses and huts there.

According to an estimate, the cost of putting one cemented block in final shape of house construction is around Rs 16. Hence, the collective tune of investment of poor people in these slum houses could run into the billions of rupees. Razing these structures is sheer wastage of this huge collective investment of poor people. Instead of 'razing' the government should focus of 'regularisation' of these Katchi Abadies, shanties and villages. It is dire need that the government should allocate substantial chunks of money for upgrading and regularising these slums.

The issue of Katchi Abadies in Karachi is as old as the country itself. During the 1940s and 1950s, due to migration from India following partition, extensive unorganised land invasion led to the establishment of extensive Katchi Abadies on the then Karachi periphery and on open urban lands. The 1960s and 1970s had increased rural-urban migration through urban pull factors. From 1988 onwards, ethnic politics, conflict and violence drove industry to other parts of the country, greatly increasing unemployment in Karachi. In the absence of adequate housing programs, homelessness and informal settlement has increased, as have densities in existing Katchi Abadies.

According to government sources since March 23, 1985, the Katchi Abadies which came into being numbered 1,293 and of them 1,157 are eligible for regularisation under Sindh Katchi Abadies Act 1987. Of them, 932 Abadies have been notified while residents of 750 Katchi Abadies have been granted proprietary rights. However, the exact number of Katchi Abadies is much more than recognised by the government or having entries in "official record".

It is the need of the hour that policymakers and civil society organisations should seriously focus on the issue of sprawling Katchi Abadies in Karachi and develop massive-scale low-cost housing societies on the lines of Khuda-ki-Basti or Taiser Town. There is also a golden chance for the private sector to jump into the arena of low-cost housing sector, as the demand is colossal and swelling by every passing day.

Copyright 2006 PPI (Pakistan Press International)

HBFC TO DEVELOP, FINANCE-HOUSING SCHEMES OF ABOUT 1000 HOUSES IN GWADAR
Pakistan Press International, May 3, 2006

House Building Finance Corporation (HBFC) Tuesday has inked three MoUs with Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) and District Nazim Gwadar for design, development and construction of small and medium-cost housing scheme on 63 acres land in Gwadar. Under another MoU, HBFC will finance GDA's Gohrab Low-cost Housing Scheme, being developed for providing shelter to needy and poor people primary the fishermen.

Gohrab Housing Scheme will create habitat for very low-income people and is being developed on concepts of "incremental housing" to match affordability of target market. Director General Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) Ahmed Lehri said GDA would lend its full support to these schemes to ensure these are equipped with all civic amenities and infrastructure.

Zaigham Mehmood Rizvi, Chairman HBFC/ CEO said HBFC's ventures to develop and finance much needed houses in Gwadar for local people is in line with policy of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and President Pervez Musharraf. The government is keen to see country's first deep-sea port-city of Gwadar develop on fast track with proper city culture. The special feature of these low middle income-housing schemes is that houses will be available only for people of Gwadar, and as next priority for people of Makran coast.

On MoUs signed between HBFC-GDA-District Nazim, Chairman HBFC said as per first MoU around 800-1000 small and medium-cost housing units shall be constructed in Gohrab Housing Scheme Gwadar. District Nazim Gwadar, Abdul Ghafoor Kalmati said he agreed to provide 63 acres of land on which HBFC will develop about 700-750 housing units of one-two bed rooms on 120 square yards plot and about 250 housing units of two-three bedrooms on 240 square yards plot.

Zaigham said through another MoU, HBFC in collaboration with Gwadar Development Authority would provide housing finance facility to 450 allottees of Gohrab low-cost housing scheme. Under third MoU District Nazim Gwadar agreed to provide 100 acres of land in Gwadar to House Building Finance Corporation (HBFC) for construction of various categories of houses for sale to local people of Gwadar working in Oman and other Gulf States.

NEED FOR LOW COST HOUSES
Pakistan Observer, April 20, 2006

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that ‘house for everyone’ is priority of his Government and a strategy is being drawn for the purpose. Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony of new CDA sectors of the Capital City, he said that the opening of new sectors will help ease housing problems in Islamabad, besides generating employment opportunities.

The policy of ‘house for everyone’ as revealed by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is a welcome endeavour by the present Government. Understandably, the ambition to own a house is universal, yet the problem of housing is acute and pressing for the poor and middle classes of society due to a variety of reasons especially the lack of financial resources to build or purchase houses. It’s more so in Islamabad, where prices of land and construction have sky-rocketed in recent years. The fact is that it’s virtually becoming impossible for the middle class to build a reasonable house in the federal capital. The other side of the story, however, is that gap between the demand and availability of housing units in the federal capital is widening with every passing day. As a consequence, Islamabad is becoming unwieldy as it’s hysterically expanding. The influx of population into Islamabad from all over Pakistan has led to unprecedented growth in population with rush of vehicles becoming virtually unmanageable. The delay in the opening of CDA’s sectors over the years had prompted private builders and developers to launch housing schemes in the outskirts of the capital city to create a mess. The situation is, therefore, becoming more and more complex demanding serious brainstorming on the part of the Government to seek some remedy. To us mass construction of low cost housing units is the answer to the housing problem in the federal capital. Sprawling and high-rise flats need to be built on the pattern of other developing countries. It’s, therefore, hoped that the Government will facilitate such a venture to address the housing problem. It’s also pertinent that similar low cost housing projects should be embarked on in other cities as well to reduce population pressure on Islamabad. A prudent housing policy needs to be formulated in keeping with a balance in the nation’s needs and resources.

LOW COST HOUSING SCHEMES FOR SHELTERLESS LAUNCHED
Financial Times, March 19, 2006

Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority has launched six low cost housing schemes in Sindh on self-financing basis, in the light of the directives of President of Pakistan where 1,200 families are being provided shelter, while low cost housing schemes in two districts are in pipeline.

This was stated by the acting Director General, Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority, Ali Ahmed Lund during a high level meeting at Katchi Abadi field office Hyderabad on Saturday morning.

He was informed that in order to provide shelter to poor families a scheme of 'Sasti Basti' was introduced in the light of the directives of President in 2001.

At present the plots are being provided to homeless poor families at Kotri, Gharo, Thatta, Sukkur, Larkana and Jacobabad while efforts are underway to acquire land for the scheme at Mirpurkhas, Sanghar and Shikarpur. Thereafter scheme will be expanded up to taluka level in entire province.

The Director, Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority Hyderabad Field Office informed that 477 plots have been created at Sikandarabad, Kotri where all utilities have been provided while 'Sasti Basti' at Mir Bahar Mohalla Gharo has been completed. He pointed some problems in acquiring the land at Makli, Hala where board of revenue has estimated the cost of land on higher side, which is not affordable to homeless poor families. Lund assured that the matter would be taken up at highest forum for fixing reasonable price of land.

Lund informed the participants that lease rights have been given to 11,460 families in the province during this year and an amount of Rs 70 million has been recovered. He said that a scheme to upgrade and redevelop the existing Katchi Abadis have been prepared.

Copyright 2006 Business Recorder

IBAD FOR TRANSPARENCY, QUALITY WORK IN TAISER TOWN
Pakistan Press International, February 18, 2006

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan Saturday said that quality, transparency and clarity should be the symbol of Taiser Town Housing Scheme. Talking at a presentation on low-cost housing scheme at Taiser Town and MDA Scheme 1, he said that due to the effort of government, people had started reposing confidence in this scheme and the overwhelming participation in the 1st phase of allotment was its proof.

He stressed that the quality of construction should be of according to international standards, besides being earthquake-proof. He approved the model A, B and C of houses and discarded 'D; which was designed on load-bearing walls, whereas other three models were designed on concrete structure. Dr Ibad stressed that while negotiating with the DFIs for loan, flexibility in repayment must be ensured, besides if someone wanted to repay the loan in lump sum at any stage, he should have the liberty to do so and no redemption would be charged. The Sindh governor said that care should be taken that burden should not fall on the people, while making the repayment. He appreciated the idea that the allottees would not be charged installments until handing keys of houses over to them. He further said that as per the specification prepared by the MDA, an open and equal opportunity should be provided to developers by calling expressions of interest for construction of 50 model houses of different categories within one year.

The governor asked the authorities to complete all the codal formalities as soon as possible. He emphasized that the credibility generated should remain throughout the process by observing transparency and merit.

He also took serious notice of advertisement that appeared in the newspapers for the purchase of Taiser Town plots. He directed the officers to take action against those involved in these activities. The governor was briefed that category A, B and C, comprising of 636, 602 and 600 square feet covered area, would cost Rs 350,000, Rs 400,000 and Rs 415000, respectively. They would have same structure but different finishing, while their installment amount would range from Rs 2000 to Rs 3945 in first four years. Besides, there would be no payment in the first year.

He directed that this scheme should have a guaranteed life for 75 to 100 years. He said that to turn dreams into reality and make Taiser Town scheme a true success story, the construction should be immediately started along with the development of infrastructure and amenities. He also asked to ensure setting up of IT and Call Center Park. He said that these facilities should be set up through international companies with state of the art technologies. Local Government Adviser Waseem Akhtar, City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal, DCO Fazalur Rehman, Project Director MDA Amirzada Kohati were also present.

GOVERNOR ORDERS ALLOTMENT OF LAND IN ACCORDANCE WITH MASTER PLAN
Asia Pulse, January 30, 2006

Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat ul Ibad Monday directed Board of Revenue Sindh and City District Government Karachi (CDGK) officials to only allot land in accordance with master plan, saying there should be no industrial activities in areas allotted for residential, recreational or educational purpose.

He was chairing a high-level meeting at Governor's House here to review matters pertaining to low-cost housing schemes and progress in provision of facilities there.

Sindh chief secretary Fazlur Rehman, secretary local government Ishaq Lashari, Karachi city nazim Mustafa Kamal, Malir Development Project director Amirzada Kohati, member Land Utilisation Khalid Mehmood Soomro, principal secretary Saleem Khan, DCO Karachi Fazlur Rehman and other officials attended the meeting.

Speaking to the meeting, Dr Isha tul Ibad asked officials concerned to chalk out a programme for construction of residential units for people with co-operation of financial institutions and in this regard asked for pre-qualification of developers and carrying out the programme at minimum cost.

Under the programme, the pre-qualified developers in co-operation with financial institutions would build residential units for people on easy conditions. There would be relaxation on payment for one year after the possession. After one year, the payment would be made on easy instalments for three years and after four years ordinary instalments would start.

The meeting also reviewed various measures being taken for provision of basic amenities to Taeser Town. The governor stressed the need for saving lands allotted for low-cost housing schemes from land grabbers and making them a mean of business and asked officials concerned to enforce relevant laws in this regard.

Dr Ibad directed officials to ensure implementation of ban on heavy vehicles' entry beyond Hawks Bay truck stand. He stressed the need for discouraging industrial and such other activities at residential areas and recreational spots.