PM forms high-level committee on housing, construction

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has constituted the National Coordination Committee on Housing, Construction and Development.

The objective of the committee is to coordinate and facilitate the government’s policy of promoting construction and development related activities, especially affordable housing projects for the low-income segments of society.

Chairman Naya Pakistan Housing Development Authority will be the convener of the committee. According to the Terms of Reference of the committee, the body will assess the demand and supply situation of housing in general and affordable housing in particular.

The convener shall brief the Prime Minister twice a week on impediments, recommendations for improvement and overall progress on implementation of Prime Minister’s policy guidelines.

It will periodically review progress of different housing and construction-related initiatives across the country. It will also identify impediments to growth of housing and construction activities with concrete recommendations and directions for their removal to relevant entities.

The committee will also comprise secretaries of the ministries of housing and works, planning, development and special initiative, finance, power, petroleum and law division or their representative.

The other members include the State Bank of Pakistan deputy governor, chief secretaries of the provinces as well as Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman or his representative, Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman, Islamabad chief commissioner and the NAPHDA deputy chairman.

The committee will coordinate and issue instructions for redressing grievances related to housing and construction initiatives, including but not limited to various permissions, NOCs and provisions of utilities.

It will also make required decisions and issue instructions to the relevant ministries, divisions, departments and organizations and monitor progress as well as implementation. It will also monitor and facilitate timely processing and approvals of housing, construction and development projects.