Lahore: In a significant development for media professionals, Provincial Information Minister Azma Bukhari announced that the Maskan Ravi Scheme would provide free residential plots to 3,200 journalists and full-time media workers. This initiative aims to prioritize Lahore-based journalists, with extended eligibility to those from other districts, ensuring no eligible applicant is left out.

According to Zameen.Com, a delegation of senior journalists met with Minister Bukhari at the DGPR office to discuss the Maskan Ravi project. The meeting, described as positive and cordial, addressed various concerns and confirmed the allocation of 5-marla plots to the beneficiaries.

Minister Bukhari reassured that all appeals by journalists concerning their eligibility would be fairly adjudicated. She highlighted that a legal delay, caused by a court restraining order from a journalist, has stalled the project temporarily. Bukhari has advocated for daily hearings to resolve this promptly, urging those in the scheme to aid in lifting the ban for faster implementation.

The scheme, managed by the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) and free from Punjab Journalists Housing Foundation (PJHF) involvement, has also simplified its eligibility requirements, removing the BA degree stipulation and focusing solely on professional tenure and proof of income.