Shahbaz Sharif announces ownership rights to the residents of katchi abadies

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has made historical announcement of giving ownership rights to the residents of three lakh, twenty six thousand, five hundred and sixteen residential units in katchi abadies across the rural and urban areas of the province and said twenty two lakh, eight thousand and 578 persons will get ownership rights of their houses with this step of Punjab government and this scheme will be applicable to all katchi abadies established before December 31, 2011. He said under this policy the ownership rights will be shared by husband and wife. He said the certificates of ownership rights have been prepared and will be distributed among lucky persons soon.

Addressing a press conference here at Model Town, the Chief Minister said the development and betterment of the common man is the top priority of PML-N government in Punjab. He said steps have been taken on the instructions of President Pakistan Muslim League-N Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to make the common man empowered and improve his living standard, and ownership rights to the residents of katchi abadies is a part of this process. He said ownership rights were earlier given only in cities but now first time residents of katchi abadies in rural areas have also been included in this process. He said that the ownership rights of 35 thousand and 640 acres of land will be given to the residents under the Katchi Abadies Regularization Scheme 2012. He said the Katchi Abadies Department is already taking steps for the provision of all necessities of life in the katchi abadies and now the Punjab government will provide more facilities in such abadies.

The Chief Minister also announced that no fee will be taken from widows and orphans during the process of giving ownership rights to katchi abadies and they will be given ownership rights free of cost. He said that from other people Rs.172 per marla fee will be charged. He said that the residents of those katchi abadies who had been given ownership rights earlier and for them, the last date for depositing outstanding dues has been extended till June 30, 2013 so that they could get ownership rights after paying dues. Mentioning the steps taken for providing houses to the people belonging to low income class. He said that besides the completion of revolutionary projects of the Punjab government like Ashiyana Scsheme, Jinnah Abadies, Labour Colonies, Model Villages, the agriculture land has been distributed among law graduates. He said the purpose of green tractors and yellow cab schemes is to enable the common men to stand on their own feet. He said besides Lahore, the Ashiyana Housing Scheme having modern facilities has been launched in five other districts of the province and the common man is being provided modern residential facilities. He said these schemes have been given legal cover and no government in the future will end these projects. He said that if the masses provided him another chance to make government he will spread the network of Ashiyana Schemes. Congratulating the residents of the katchi abadies who have been given ownership rights, he said that the Quaid-e-Azam Day is drawing near and the Punjab government has taken steps for the betterment of the common man in the accordance with the vision of Quaid-e-Azam.

The Chief Minister said that the committees set up under Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and MNA Kh. Saad Rafique worked tirelessly to make the process of awarding ownership rights to the residents of katchi abadies in a transparent manner. He also appreciated the performance of Senior Member Board of Revenue and other concerning officers. He said it is the vision of the Punjab government to utilize all out national resources for the uplift of the poor and low income segment of the society and this step has been taken in this direction. He expressed the hope that those families who are being given ownership rights in katchi abadies will pay attention to the education and training of their children, and will be able to resolve their other problems without worrying for their residential problems. He said that Punjab government has taken a number of steps for the provision of residential facilities to the low income and neglected segments of the society during the last four and a half years so that equal residential facilities could be available to the unprivileged segments of the society. The Chief Minister said that the reorganization of Directorate General of Katchi Abadies is being carried out for harmonizing it according to modern demands for making the process of awarding ownership rights to the dwellers of katchi abadies scheme speedy and transparent. He said that in order to avoid illegal construction in future, survey and GPS Mapping of katchi abadies has been carried out so that establishment of new katchi abadies could be discouraged. Replying to a question, the Chief Minister said that no qabza mafia could flourish during last four and a half years in Punjab and we retrieved various lands and even registered cases against the members of our own party who violated the merit. He said that the general elections are going to be held after three months and the nation will give new mandate. He expressed the hope that elections will be held on time. The Chief Minister said that the besides taking revolutionary measures in every sector including education, health and social sector for the development, prosperity and welfare of the people, Punjab government has also launched various programmes like Punjab Educational Endowment Fund, voucher scheme under Punjab Education Foundation, setting up of Daanish Schools, laptops distribution, internship programme, setting up of new universities and self-employment scheme for poor male and female students with billions of rupees which are proving helpful for eliminating the class system in the society. He said that despite passage of 65 years, no government could start such revolutionary programmes for the welfare of the common man and downtrodden. Shahbaz Sharif said that the dream of their own shelter will be materialized through awarding of ownership rights to the dwellers of katchi abadies and this is being happened first time in the history of the country that the wife and husband will have equal share in the ownership. He said that Pakistan was not created only for the rich but poor, laborers, widows, orphans, cart pushers and farmers have also right over it and the Punjab government by announcing this historical step has provided rights to the poor. He said that our forefathers have achieved the motherland under the dynamic leadership of Quaid-e-Azam where equal opportunities should be available to everyone and the common man could live with honor, influence and sectarianism should be eliminated and merit be promoted. On the occasion, Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that no discrimination was observed in the process of awarding ownership rights to the residents of katchi abadies and ownership rights have been given equally to the Muslims and minorities in katchi abadies. Senior Member Board of Revenue, Secretary Information, Member Board of Revenue, DG Katchi Abadies and other concerning officers were also present.