The World Bank has expressed interest in joining the Punjab government’s flagship housing initiative Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar, under which $100 million in funding was expected to be released, officials said on Monday.
The development emerged during a meeting chaired by Provincial Housing Minister Bilal Yasin, where the Director General (DG) of PHATA and the Project Director briefed participants on the Punjab Affordable Housing Program.
The meeting also approved the restructuring of the program to streamline its implementation.
Officials said the proposed World Bank support was expected to accelerate housing construction across Punjab and improve the government’s capacity to meet its targets.
Bilal Yasin said interest-free loans of Rs.1.5 million per family would be provided to eligible households in different districts to enable them to construct their own homes.
He said the initiative was yielding positive results for low-income families and improving access to affordable housing.
He added that the government’s target of constructing 100,000 houses annually would significantly improve living standards and ensure provision of dignified shelter to underprivileged segments of society.
The meeting also discussed proposals for expanding the program and broadening its outreach to more deserving families across the province.