RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has decided to give free plots to journalists and media workers and has announced that plots should be allotted not only to working journalists but also to all full-time workers in media organizations under the Maskan Ravi scheme.
As per media report, a delegation of senior journalists met with Provincial Information Minister Uzma Bukhari at the DGPR office, where the problems of journalists and media workers were discussed in detail.
Uzma Bukhari listened attentively to the concerns of the journalists and assured them that their problems would be resolved. She also addressed the misconceptions regarding the Muskan Ravi project.
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During the meeting, it was agreed that plots would be allotted not only to journalists but also to all full-time media workers in media organizations under the Maskan Ravi scheme.
The provincial minister assured that the Muskan Ravi project would be completed as soon as possible under the supervision of RODA without any interference from the Punjab Housing Foundation (PHF).
Uzma Bukhari added that a total of 3,200 journalists and media workers would receive plots, with the plot size increased to 5 marla, ensuring that the maximum number of beneficiaries could receive plots.
Journalists and media workers from Lahore will be given priority, while journalists from other cities will receive plots in residential schemes of Maskan Ravi or in their respective districts.
She further said that the appeals filed by petitioners in the Muskan Ravi project will be considered on the basis of merit, ensuring that no journalist is deprived of their right.
Moreover, plots will be provided free of cost to all eligible media workers and journalists under this scheme. She explained that the delay in the project was not due to RODA or the Punjab government, but because of a journalist who had obtained an injunction against the project.
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She has, however, directed her staff to obtain information daily regarding the ongoing case in the High Court and to expedite the case. Uzma Bukhari expressed hope that the journalists benefiting from the project would appear in court to support lifting the ban and dismissing the case.
Once the court ban is lifted, the Maskan Ravi scheme will be re-advertised for those journalists and media workers who missed submitting their documents by the last application date.
Those who have already received letters will not need to reapply. Eligibility conditions include 10 years of employment and one year of salary slips, while the BA education requirement will be removed.
Report Says, the Maskan Ravi delegation included Khalid Hasnain, Sabir Awan, Kashif Malik, Rab Nawaz Khan, Kashif Sulaiman, Faizan Waraich, and Gulzar Mustafai. Both sides agreed to continue consultations in the future. Each family will be allotted only one plot, even if both husband and wife are media workers.
