Punjab CM launches interest free loans for housing scheme  

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday launched  ‘Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar’  (our roof, our house) housing scheme project to provide interest-free loans to people to enable them to construct their homes. 

Those having one to five-marla land in urban areas and one to 10-marla land in rural areas are eligible to get Rs1.5 million loan without interest to construct their houses. 

Addressing a ceremony in Lahore, the chief minister said, “For the first three months, landowners will not pay one paisa”.

“There’s no place like home. Those who have their own home, their own roof, they don’t understand what it is like to be homeless.”

The chief minister outlined the structure of the loan, which would be paid back over a period of seven years.

“There is no need to pay for the first three months,” the CM said, adding, “Those who take the loans will have to pay a maximum monthly instalment of Rs14,000.

“I have kept the instalments at Rs14,000 because people need to establish a monthly budget, pay children’s fees, and utility bills and buy food and medicine,” she said.

CM Maryam also referred to the reduced electricity bills for consumers using between 200 and 500 units per month for the months of August and September, reiterating her administration’s commitment to extending relief to Punjab’s people.

She added that there were no hidden charges or costs in this scheme. “This is why we didn’t involve banks,” Maryam explained. “We wanted to avoid hidden costs.”

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Outlining how interested parties can apply for the scheme, the chief minister said, “You can fill out an online application on the PITB online portal. For the less IT-savvy, we have given a number: 080009100.

“Call and you will receive information on the scheme from your local DC office,” she said, adding that she intends to implement this system in all major cities of Punjab.

The chief minister described the houses that are being constructed, stating that each house in the scheme will feature two bedrooms, a TV lounge, a bathroom and a kitchen “of a decent size”.

“Even the poor have self-respect, we need to get this right because you only build a house once,” she stated.

The chief minister added that her government will expand this scheme across Punjab within five years so that those who need houses “are able to get them”.