LAHORE - Inordinate delay in construction of houses at Ashiana Housing Scheme, the landmark scheme of the PML-N led government in Punjab, has raised huge problems for citizens.

The project, which is being carried out under Land and Urban development, was initiated keeping in view the deteriorating conditions of shelter and human settlement especially for the low income group.

Subsequently, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif initiated Punjab Land Development Company Limited (PLDC) to respond to the challenge with immediate interventions in the areas of affordable housing.

Land and urban development is one of the challenges in Punjab where people are living without homes due to shortages in the provision of housing. The need of the hour was to build up infrastructure to that extent where low-income people could also materialise the dream of having their own houses.

The project started in April 2011. Some 686 kanals land was allocated for the Ashaiana Housing Scheme while total 2,537 houses would be built by and large. The scheme has two categories - 2 Marla and 3 Marla houses.

School, mosques, parks, main gate, boundary wall, commercial area, dispensary, post office, police station, graveyard, play ground, disposal station, water tank and bank were also to be built, according to the plan. In the last balloting of the Ashaina Housing Scheme, 372 people got plots.

The scheme initiated for the applicants who have domicile of Punjab, and should be having income less than Rs20,000/month.

The applicant should be living in a rented house and not posses his/her own house or plot.

However, the pace of the work is very slow and a lot is needed to be done. People have urged the government to speed up the construction of the Ashiana Housing Scheme.