In May 2025, the Province of Punjab, Pakistan, launched the Apni Zameen Apna Ghar (Your Land, Your Home) scheme. This initiative helps people experiencing homelessness secure a permanent home by providing free residential plots to eligible applicants. This article explores how the program sustainably realizes the vision of “housing for all”.
Credit: Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency
Background and aim
The province of Punjab has been emphasizing the importance of the timely delivery of public welfare initiatives, especially regarding housing. Various housing initiatives have been launched under the vision of “housing for all”, though implementation challenges have often remained obstacles to achieving significant outcomes.
Building on these previous housing efforts, the Apni Zameen Apna Ghar scheme aims to reduce homelessness and poverty by providing free 3-marla (675 sq.ft) residential plots to low-income, landless families. The scheme helps vulnerable citizens, particularly in rural or underdeveloped areas, secure a permanent home by offering land ownership, thereby realizing the vision of “housing for all”. The scheme achieves social protection, economic inclusion, and sustainable development by empowering marginalized communities to improve their living standards, starting with a permanent home.
Maryam Nawaz
Chief Minister of Punjab
This is not merely about distributing land; it is about restoring dignity, security, and hope to thousands of deserving families. I firmly believe that owning a home is a fundamental right of every citizen. Together, we can build a prosperous and inclusive Punjab where no one is left behind.
Implementation
The initiative is implemented by the Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency, under the Housing, Urban Development, and Public Health Engineering Department, and covers three key dimensions: execution, transparency, and scale.
The process is reviewed by a dedicated oversight committee to ensure transparency and fairness. They are responsible for designing a system that operates without political, religious, or social discrimination. Furthermore, a significant proportion of women are included among the beneficiaries.
Programme rollout
In the initial phase, a geographically inclusive rollout is adopted. Namely, district quotas, determined by population and homelessness numbers, are assigned to ensure transparent distribution.
After citizen applications are received, a digital ballot is conducted. Three marla residential plots in five designated districts are allocated to eligible low-income families.
Beneficiaries also receive interest-free loans of up to Rs. 1.5 million for house construction under the complementary Apni Chhat Apna Ghar (Your Roof, Your Home) program. These loans are repayable in monthly installments over nine years.
After receiving their plots, beneficiaries must begin construction within six months and complete it within two years. The plots are reserved exclusively for residential use and cannot be sold, transferred, or rented for five years. Monitoring committees will conduct periodic inspections to ensure compliance.
Credit: Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency
Support mechanisms
A strict review process is conducted to ensure that only the targeted groups benefit from the Apni Zameen Apna Ghar scheme. However, the process may also create accessibility challenges for certain groups. Therefore, on-the-ground support mechanisms have been created to facilitate their participation.
- Availability of both online and offline processes
While the balloting process is conducted digitally, the application process can be completed either online or offline, so people with limited digital access and literacy can still benefit from the scheme.
- Mobile resident registration services
To be eligible for the program, applicants must submit a valid Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC). The government’s mobile residential registration service vans support citizens in remote areas, ensuring the digital identification service is accessible for those who may find traveling to the registration center difficult.
Credit: Dawn
Eligibility
To be eligible for the plot, applicants must be permanent residents of Punjab and at least 18 years old. They must not own property anywhere in Pakistan and must have a monthly income of less than PKR 50,000. Applicants with criminal records or who are defaulters with any bank or government institution are not eligible for the scheme.
Conclusion
In the first phase, 2,000 residential plots across 23 schemes in 19 districts were offered, and allotment letters have already been issued to successful applicants. Plans to expand the scheme are underway to scale up the initiative’s impact.
The Apni Zameen Apna Ghar scheme emphasizes the importance of permanent homes in caring for people on the street. The “housing first” approach is supported by a system that safeguards the well-distribution of social welfare resources. This case reminds local governments of the importance of transparency, accessibility, and execution mechanisms in caring for people experiencing homelessness.
