- Says dead capital being turned into valuable assets through RUDA, CBD
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the government is fulfilling the dream of the poor to have their own houses.
The prime minister said this on Friday while performing the balloting for the low-cost apartments in Farash Town area of the federal capital.
The prime minister directed to ensure transparency in allotment of houses. He emphasised on adopting the model of high-rise constructions to prevent unplanned spread of cities.
He said that private banks are providing easy loans to the people to buy these apartments and the monthly installment for these housing units will be around Rs13,000 due to the subsidy being provided by the government.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Khan said that Ravi Urban Development Authority and Central Business District Walton are landmark real estate projects to save the environment and ecology of Lahore. He said it is the first time in the country’s history that dead capital is being regenerated into valuable assets through these projects.
He said success of these projects would serve as a model for other cash strapped departments to replicate for generating financial resources.
The CEO of Ravi Urban Development Authority briefed the prime minister that development work on these innovative projects is in full swing.
The prime minister said all these projects are of supreme national interests. He directed the authorities concerned to adopt a proactive and innovative approach for their completion on a fast track basis.
Separately, Prime Minister Khan on Friday directed the authorities concerned to ensure implementation of the incentives and facilities announced by the government for freelancers and the IT industry within the stipulated time.
The prime minister, chairing a meeting to review the incentives being provided to the IT sector, said the government is extending maximum facilitation to the sectors with immense potential to support the national economy.
Mentioning the historic package announced by the government for promotion of the IT sector, he said the government has introduced massive reforms to facilitate the business sector.
He viewed that the facilitation of the skilled freelancers would lead to increasing the remittances as promotion of the IT exports is among the government’s priorities.
The participants of the meeting were apprised of the implementation status of the incentives for the startups, industrial sector and IT companies. It was said the implementation of the government’s recently announced industries and IT package is going on at a fast pace and an increase in the number of freelancers has been witnessed consequent to the government’s measures.
The meeting was told that the one-step registration of freelancers through the portal of Pakistan Software Export Board has been ensured which would automatically register them with the Federal Board of Revenue.
Moreover, the State Bank of Pakistan was also taking steps to ensure the transfer of freelancing funds from abroad through the banking channels. Besides, a mechanism to take benefit from the tax exemptions for the IT companies would also be in place very soon.
An awareness system to ensure the implementation of the announced facilities through commercial banks would also be initiated.
Federal ministers Asad Umar, Hammad Azhar, Chairman of Special Technology Zones Authority Amer Hashmi, and senior officers attended the meeting. Governor of State Bank Raza Baqir joined via video link.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Khan held a meeting with Governor Sindh Imran Ismail and Minister for Planning Asad Umar and exchanged views on the ongoing development projects of the federal government in Sindh and the overall political situation in the province.
The prime minister directed that the development projects especially those of public welfare should be completed in the stipulated time.
