# Apni Chhat Apna Ghar: Punjab's interest-free housing loan, who qualifies

URL: https://which.pk/money/guides/apni-chhat-apna-ghar/
Author: Ahtisham
Updated: 17 Oct 2026

## Summary

Apni Chhat Apna Ghar is the Punjab government's interest-free loan for low-income families who own a plot of up to 5 marla in a city or 10 marla in a village. The full loan is up to Rs 15 lakh, repaid at Rs 14,000 a month over about nine years. Since July 2026 smaller loans of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh cover repairs or an extra storey. You apply at acag.punjab.gov.pk. By 16 October 2026 more than 217,000 families had received loans.

## Key facts

- Loan: Up to Rs 15 lakh
- Interest: None
- Instalment: Rs 14,000 a month
- Plot size: 5 marla urban, 10 rural

Apni Chhat Apna Ghar is the Punjab government's **interest-free** loan for low-income families who own a small plot and want to build a house on it. The full loan is **up to Rs 15 lakh**, repaid at **Rs 14,000 a month** over about nine years. You qualify if you live in Punjab, own a plot of up to **5 marla in a city or 10 marla in a village**, and have no loan default. You apply online at acag.punjab.gov.pk.

The official sites didn't open for us on 17 October 2026, so the portal details here are from its Internet Archive copy of May 2026 and the other figures carry the date of the news report or statement they come from.

**Loans paid so far:** Rs 284.4 billion to 217,000+ families (As of 16 Oct 2026, according to Punjab Housing Minister Bilal Yasin (Lahore Times). About 1.53 million applications had been received.)

## How much is the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar loan?

As of August 2026 the portal offered two kinds of loan (ARY News).

| Loan | Amount | For | Repayment |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Full loan** (Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar) | Up to Rs 15 lakh | Building a house on your own plot | Rs 14,000 a month, about 9 years |
| **Partial loan** (Apni Chhat, Mehfooz Chhat) | Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh | Repairing a weak roof, or adding a storey | Monthly, over 7 years |

There is no interest on either loan: you pay back only what you borrowed. Aaj News reported in December 2024 that the full loan is paid out in two instalments, and repayments start three months after you get the money.

The repair loans were added in July 2026. Pakistan Today reported **Rs 5 lakh** to repair or strengthen a house with a weak roof and **Rs 10 lakh** to build an extra storey.

**Seven years or nine?:** Early reports in 2024 gave seven years for the full loan. In January 2025 the Chief Minister said it is repaid at Rs 14,000 a month over nine years. We follow the later statement, which also fits the numbers: Rs 15 lakh at Rs 14,000 a month takes about 107 months.

### Paying it off early

The portal's May 2026 archive copy offers a rebate if you repay the whole loan early. You get **20% off the remaining principal** if you clear it within 1 to 3 years, and **10%** within 4 to 6 years.

## Who is eligible for Apni Chhat Apna Ghar?

ARY News listed these conditions in August 2026:

- You are a **permanent resident of Punjab** with a valid CNIC.
- You own a residential plot of **up to 5 marla in an urban area or up to 10 marla in a rural area**.
- You are **21 to 60 years old** when you apply.
- You have **no loan default** with any bank or financial institution.
- You have not been convicted of a serious crime.
- You agree to have your records checked through NADRA and the Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA).

At launch in 2024 there were two more conditions: you had to be the **head of the family** in NADRA's records, and your household had to be registered in the National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER) with a **poverty score (PMT) of 60 or less** (Zameen.com). ARY's 2026 list doesn't mention them, and we couldn't open the official eligibility page to check, so keep your NSER details ready.

Not sure how big your plot is? See our [marla to square feet converter](/property/tools/marla-to-square-feet/).

## How do I apply online?

You need:

- your CNIC
- proof that you own the plot: the [fard](/property/guides/fard-online-punjab/), the land-record extract from PLRA
- photographs of the existing house

If you can't apply from home, help desks are at every Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner office and at PHATA's regional offices. The toll-free helpline is **0800-09100**.

**Use the .gov.pk address:** The programme's own portal is acag.punjab.gov.pk. Check the address ends in .gov.pk before you enter your CNIC.

## How do I check my application status?

Log in at acag.punjab.gov.pk with the account you registered. The **Application Status** page shows your application ID, your status and the **microfinance institution** chosen to handle your loan. Akhuwat, NRSP and RCDP were the lenders named in December 2024. In July 2025 ARY News reported that Bank of Punjab would manage the programme's housing finance for 2025-26.

As of May 2026 (archive copy), PHATA's office numbers were 042-99213419 and 042-99213428.

## Is Apni Chhat Apna Ghar still open in 2026?

Yes. The portal was taking applications for both loans in August 2026, and we found no official closing date. At the end of August 2026 the government doubled this year's lending target because of the number of applications (Daily Qudrat).

On 16 October 2026 the housing minister said **217,000+ families** had received loans. Lahore Times reported the same day that **126,239 houses** were finished and 57,910 more were nearly done. The target is more than **300,000 families by June 2027**, about one in five of the 1.53 million applications so far.

**What we couldn't check:** On 17 October 2026 the Punjab government site, PHATA's site and the live portal did not open for us. We read the portal from Internet Archive copies of May 2026 and took the rest from Punjab government releases and news reports.

## Is this the same as the federal Apna Ghar scheme?

No. The federal [Apna Ghar Program](/money/guides/mera-pakistan-mera-ghar/) is a bank loan at 5% (as of March 2026) for first-time home owners anywhere in Pakistan. Apni Chhat Apna Ghar is Punjab-only, interest-free, and only for families who already own a small plot.

If you earn enough for a normal bank loan, compare banks in our [home loan guide](/money/guides/home-loan-pakistan/).

**More guides:** [BISP and 8171](/money/guides/bisp-8171/) · [Kissan Card Punjab](/money/guides/kissan-card-punjab/) · [Loans](/money/loans/) · [Home loans in Pakistan](/money/guides/home-loan-pakistan/) · [Mera Pakistan Mera Ghar and Apna Ghar](/money/guides/mera-pakistan-mera-ghar/) · [Fard online in Punjab](/property/guides/fard-online-punjab/)

## Questions people ask

### What is the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar loan amount?

Up to Rs 15 lakh, interest-free, to build a house on a plot you own. Since July 2026 there are also smaller loans of Rs 5 lakh to repair a weak roof and Rs 10 lakh to add a storey.

### How do I check my Apni Chhat Apna Ghar status by CNIC?

Log in at acag.punjab.gov.pk with the account you registered with your CNIC. The Application Status page shows your status and the microfinance institution picked for your loan.

### Is there a last date to apply online?

We found no official last date as of October 2026. In August 2026 the portal was taking applications for both the full and the partial loan.

### Can I sell the plot while I'm repaying?

No. Aaj News reported that the loan is recorded against the land in the revenue record, so the plot can't be sold until the loan is repaid.

### Is Apni Chhat Apna Ghar the same as the federal Apna Ghar scheme?

No. The federal Wazir-e-Azam Apna Ghar Program is a bank loan at 5% for first-time home owners. Punjab's programme is an interest-free loan for low-income families who own a small plot.

## Sources

- [Apni Chhat Apna Ghar Program portal (Internet Archive copy of 12 May 2026)](https://web.archive.org/web/20260512162752/https://acag.punjab.gov.pk/), PHATA, Government of the Punjab (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [Apni Chhat Apna Ghar: Application Status and Contact pages (Internet Archive copies of 12 May 2026)](https://web.archive.org/web/20260512162853/https://acag.punjab.gov.pk/Layouts/contact), PHATA, Government of the Punjab (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [CM Punjab's 'Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar' Program: Record of 50000 New Houses Achieved (2 Jul 2025)](https://www.punjab.gov.pk/node/6435), Government of the Punjab (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [How to apply for interest-free loan under Punjab's Apni Chhat, Mehfooz Chhat Programme](https://arynews.tv/apni-chhat-mehfooz-chhat-programme-interest-free-loan), ARY News (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [Loans under 'Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar' program to be granted on merit: CM Maryam](https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2025/01/26/loans-under-apni-chhat-apna-ghar-program-to-be-granted-on-merit-cm-maryam), Pakistan Today (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [What is Punjab's Apni Chhat Apna Ghar Program?](https://english.aaj.tv/news/amp/330393332), Aaj News (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [Apni Chhat Apna Ghar online apply](https://www.zameen.com/blog/apni-chhat-apna-ghar-online-apply.html), Zameen.com (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [Apni Chhat Apna Ghar programme partners with Bank of Punjab](https://arynews.tv/apni-chhat-apna-ghar-programme-partners-with-bank-of-punjab), ARY News (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [Govt announces Rs1 million interest-free loans for house repairs](https://arynews.tv/interest-free-loans-for-house-repairs), ARY News (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [Punjab launches housing safety loan scheme for unsafe homes](https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2026/07/09/punjab-launches-housing-safety-loan-scheme-for-unsafe-homes), Pakistan Today (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [CM Maryam approves interest-free loans for house expansion](https://www.nation.com.pk/24-Jan-2026/cm-maryam-approves-interest-free-loans-house-expansion), The Nation (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [Interest-free loan target doubled (31 Aug 2026)](https://en.dailyqudrat.pk/100918/), Daily Qudrat (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- [Apni Chhat loans reach Rs284bn as Rawalpindi water plan lags](https://www.lhrtimes.com/2026/10/16/apni-chhat-loans-reach-rs284bn-as-rawalpindi-water-plan-lags/), Lahore Times (accessed 17 Oct 2026)