500,000 Houses to Be Built Under “Apna Ghar Apni Chhat” Scheme

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz chaired a provincial cabinet meeting, where several key projects and policies were approved. One of the major initiatives is the “Apna Ghar Apni Chhat” scheme, which aims to build 500,000 houses across Punjab in the next five years.

The “Chief Minister Green Tractor Program” and the “Children Heart Surgery Programme” were also given the go-ahead. The cabinet also decided to increase fines for illegal weapons possession, raising the penalty from Rs. 500,000 to Rs. 700,000, along with three years of rigorous imprisonment.

Another important decision was the approval of the MDCAT policy for both public and private medical and dental colleges. Furthermore, the cabinet sanctioned the establishment of Punjab’s first Life Insurance Company.

Regarding housing loans, the meeting decided that plot holders with valid ownership letters and CNICs can now access loans. For a loan of Rs. 1.5 million, borrowers will pay Rs. 14,000 monthly over nine years. CM Maryam Nawaz directed that the loan scheme be converted into a revolving fund without charges and simplified the scrutiny process for applicants.

Under the Green Tractor Program, 9,500 tractors will be distributed with a Rs. 1 million subsidy per unit, starting in September 2024, with balloting on October 20. The cabinet also approved stricter sentences for kite-flying violations, with offenders facing 2-5 years in prison and fines up to Rs. 5 million.