Apni Chhat Apna Ghar: Over 33,000 families receive interest-free loans

Lahore: Over 33,000 families across Punjab have received interest-free loans worth PKR 364.4 billion under the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar initiative, as part of the provincial government’s efforts to address the housing shortage.

According to a briefing given during a review meeting chaired by Punjab Minister for Housing and Urban Development Bilal Yasin on Monday, a total of 574,265 applications have been submitted so far, and 33,486 individuals have been provided loans to construct homes.

The meeting was attended by Secretary Housing Capt (retd) Asadullah Khan, Bank of Punjab President Zafar Masood, and PHATA DG Sikandar Zeeshan. Officials shared that 27,321 houses are currently under construction across Punjab, while 1,900 houses have already been completed.

In terms of regional distribution, loan disbursements were as follows:

• Lahore Division: 4,207 families
• Rawalpindi: 4,625
• Faisalabad: 4,090
• Gujranwala: 3,923
• Sargodha: 3,927
• Multan: 3,750
• Bahawalpur: 3,551
• DG Khan: 3,356
• Sahiwal: 2,057

Minister Bilal Yasin stressed the importance of transparency and efficiency in the screening process to ensure that deserving citizens benefit from the scheme. “Every applicant applies with hope,” he said, adding that the goal of constructing 100,000 homes annually would help significantly reduce homelessness in the province.

He directed officials to align monthly targets with the annual goal and expedite efforts to reach more families on a merit basis.