PM orders faster approvals as Rs11 billion disbursed under Apna Ghar Scheme

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed relevant authorities to further simplify procedures and speed up loan approvals under the Prime Minister's Apna Ghar Scheme, saying greater facilitation would help more people achieve home ownership.

Chairing a review meeting on the housing initiative, the prime minister said the public response to the programme had been encouraging and reflected rising demand for affordable housing, according to a Prime Minister's Office news release. He instructed the Ministry of Housing to coordinate with the State Bank of Pakistan to make the application form easier for applicants to understand and complete.

During the meeting, Shehbaz Sharif also told banks to accelerate the approval of valid applications and ensure that loans were released on time. He further ordered that the awareness campaign be expanded across the country so that more eligible citizens could benefit from the scheme.

Referring to difficulties faced by applicants in securing land ownership documents, the prime minister directed provincial governments to set up facilitation desks at the district level for the Apna Ghar Scheme. He said broad participation in the initiative was a positive sign.

"Participation of a large number of citizens in the Apna Ghar Scheme is extremely welcome. If we continue at the current pace, the dream of home ownership for a maximum number of deserving people will be fulfilled," the prime minister said.

Officials informed the meeting that Rs11 billion in loans had so far been disbursed under the programme. The briefing said applications rose significantly after the government eased the scheme's rules and regulations in March this year.

According to the figures shared in the meeting, 67,900 applications have been received from across the country. Of these, 16,587 have been approved, while 3,146 beneficiaries have already received loan payments.

The meeting was also told that the State Bank of Pakistan had made it mandatory for banks to process Apna Ghar Scheme applications within 15 days.

Railways reform roadmap approved

Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday approved a comprehensive strategic roadmap for Pakistan Railways and directed authorities to give priority to freight services, bring in private investment and modernise the rail network.

Chairing a high-level meeting on railway reforms, the prime minister said Pakistan Railways had significant potential to become a dependable and economical transport system for passengers and freight, while also supporting economic growth and regional connectivity, according to the Prime Minister's Office news release.