Construction, a term that encompasses activities related to the creation of physical infrastructure and related activities, plays a crucial role in the economy of any country.
Writer: Shaukat Chauhdary
Construction, a term that encompasses activities related to the creation of physical infrastructure and related activities, plays a crucial role in the economy of any country. Today, construction is the second largest sector in Pakistan's economy after agriculture. Roughly 30-35% of employment is directly or indirectly affiliated with the construction sector.
It has been estimated that output of the sector has a significant share of 40-60% in gross fixed capital formation. Moreover, studies have suggested that more than 60 other associated industries form linkages with the construction and housing industry.
This makes the sector pivotal to economic development as it is crucial for providing shelter, employment and infrastructure.
BMI Research has also provided a healthy growth outlook for the sector, putting it at 11.8% annually from 2016-20 and 9.1% over 2016-25.
Construction activities indeed are considered as one of the major sources of economic growth and development. The industry has proved to be a driving force behind the forward movement of our fraternal country Turkey.
In fact promoting construction industry would yield multiple benefits for the economy as it would generate employment and offer plenty of job opportunities for millions of our unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled workers.
Since the economy is currently passing through a period of slow growth, it is time to take tangible steps to ensure ease of doing business in construction sector which will help the economy achieve quick revival.
Pakistan’s construction industry – the hot cake for foreign investor’s right now. In past the procedure of building plan approval was a very challenging process and includes more than one department to get NOCs and needless delays were a common occurrence. Construction Industry Services at E Khidmat Marakaz providing transparent, hassle free and time sensitive services delivery, digitization of Services, application process flow, Integrated Systems, Citizen-Centric Approach, and Citizen Insight into System, Monitoring Mechanism and potential Expandability & Scalability.
Following the vision of PM Imran Khan to flourish the construction industry, 32 services including building plan approval, change of land use, completion certificate and approval of private housing scheme have already been started at e-khidmat Marakaz across Punjab from July 1, 2020
E Khidmat Marakaz construction industry services vowing to help the country’s long neglected stratum move from slums to the swiftly constructed flats and high-rises.
Since the inauguration of this flag ship project, e-khidmat Marakaz has set exemplary standards to facilitate citizens with numerous services under one roof which includes NADRA, Driving License, Police Character Certificate, Excise and Taxation and Services which fall under Local Govt. & Community Development and the list goes on. Adding Construction services portfolio to this progressive project will definitely provide ease to the citizens and ultimately will boost PM vision for Naya Pakistan
In the Last few weeks continuous visits of government delegations and press conferences on construction industry services at E- Khidmat Marakaz across showing alot of interest to facilitate citizens to maintain Modalities, Service Delivery Standards, and Transparent & Guaranteed Time Bound Construction industry services.
Few visits to increases the citizen facilitations Centre across Punjab Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) , Lahore Capt. (R) Hammad Abid, Special advisor to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Mr. Usman Dar, DCO Sialkot Dr. Nasir Mehmood Bashir & DPO Sialkot Mustansar Feroze, Advisor to CM on Economic Affairs and Planning Development, Mr. Salman Shah, along with Secretary Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Nadeem Mehboob, Chairman Task Force Housing Punjab, Mr. Yaqoob Tahir Izhar, and Vice Chairman LDA, Mr. SM Imran, & Member Housing Task Force.
Minister for Housing Punjab, Mr. Mian Mahmood-Ur-Rasheed during press conference praises the recently launched construction-related services in e-Khidmat Marakaz across Punjab.
Minster IT Punjab, Raja Yassir Humayun, visited the state-of-the-art e-Khidmat facility ,Chairman PITB, Azfar Manzoor, briefed him about the newly incorporated services related to the Construction industry expanding the portfolio of e-Khidmat Markaz. The visit was followed by a joint press conference. Minister IT attributed the addition of new services a big step towards government’s mission of improving governance.
Advisor to CM Punjab appreciated the e-Kidmat Markaz system and termed it a real Khidmat. He directed to expand eKhidmat Maraakaz across Punjab at a massive level on priority basis so that all citizens, even in remote areas, can facilitate from the system. He assured full support from top executives as Facilitation of General Public is top agenda of the Government
PITB Working on the vision of our honorable Prime Minister Imran Ahmed khan & CM Usman Buzdar along with Chief Secretary Jawed Rafique Malik towards era of digitalizing numerous Govt departments’ services (e-Governance), causing sigh of relief for the masses. "Serving the unserved. Prime Minister Imran Khan reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting the construction sector as he is monitoring Construction industry services provided by Facilitations centers very keenly. It is the time for the Provincial government to move beyond checking deficits to the development projects especially accelerating work on the construction of houses.
The competent authorities of PITB Chairman Azfar Manzoor, DG Sajid Latif, ADG Muhammad Waseem Bhatti and its qualified teams working tireless in the E-Khidmat Marakaz across Punjab must be applauded for their endeavors to make these services more Convenient , friendly and apprehendable for the citizens and beneficial for the Punjab Government. Such a team is acting as a role model to start this landmark in other provinces as well in the future.
