Federal govt-owned accommodations: NA panel urges govt to utilise allowance on repair, maintenance

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Housing and Works recommended the government for utilisation of five percent repair/maintenance allowance, deducted at source from the salaries of the federal government employees on the repair/maintenance purpose of the federal government-owned accommodations in order to avoid their further deterioration.

The 12th meeting of the Standing Committee on Housing and Works was held on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Engineer Muhammad Najeeb Haroon.

During the course of discussion, the committee was informed by the Ministry of Housing and Works that five percent repair/maintenance allowance, deducted at source from the salaries of federal government employees was being collected by the Finance Division to the Ministry of Housing and Works on account of salaries of work charge on employees of the Pak PWD, thus, leading to non-repair /maintenance of the federal government-owned accommodation.

The committee recommended the Finance Division to look into the matter and ensure that repair/maintenance allowance be utilised on the said repair/maintenance purpose in order to avoid their further deterioration.

Regarding shortage of federal government-owned accommodations, the Committee viewed that the huge gap between the required against existing number was causing concern among the federal government employees, thus, recommended the Ministry for Housing and Works to look into the matter, take up the matter with the competent authorities for seeking approval to construct new accommodations and bridge the gap.

Regarding development schemes in the province of Sindh under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), the committee was informed that all those projects due approval by the government were being undertaken.

The Committee noted that quoting layers on the existing roads/streets, without dismantling the earlier ones were leading to rising up the surface of those road/street than the existing buildings/houses, thus, causing concern among inhabitants of the area.

The Committee, therefore, directed the ministry to ensure that all such projects of roads/streets should be undertaken with due diligence, and completed within the stipulated period of time.

On the briefing given by the director general, Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) regarding sectors G14/1, 2 and 3, and F-12 and G-12, the Committee expressed satisfaction, and directed the department to gear up the pace of work and ensure timely completion of all the projects as well as handing over the possessions to the allottees.

Besides the Minister for Housing and Works, the meeting was attended by Mehboob Shah, Malik Anwar Taj, Malik Karamat Ali Khokhar, Makhdoom Syed Samiul Hassan Gillan, Chaudhry Javed Iqbal Warraich, Zille Huma, Wajiha Akram, Salahuddin, Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan, Muhammad lsrar Tareen, Chaudhry Abid Raza, Azhar Qayyum Nahra, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Tahira Aurangzeb, Seema Mohiuddin Jameeli, Abid Hussain Bhayo, Jam Abdul Karim Bijar, Syed Agha Rafiullah, Syed Mehmood Shah, MNAs/Members.

The senior officers of the Ministry of Housing and Works, Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform, the Finance Division, the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority, and the Pakistan Public Works Department, were also present in the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021