Dhi Qar surveys land for 42K housing plots
Shafaq News- Dhi Qar
Southeastern Iraq’s Dhi Qar province has completed surveys of 12,600 Iraqi dunams of agricultural land designated to provide 42,000 residential plots under the country’s one-million-plot housing initiative, the provincial Agriculture Directorate said on Friday.
Agriculture Director Awad Khalaf told Shafaq News that the surveyed land spans several administrative districts, with maps of the designated sites submitted to Baghdad for referral to the relevant ministry to lift agricultural-reform restrictions and secure Dhi Qar’s full allocation under the initiative.
Read more: Iraq’s latest land distribution plan faces legacy of unfinished projects
The allocation falls under the government’s Watan (Home) Initiative, which seeks to distribute one million residential plots free of charge to eligible Iraqi families who do not own a home or other property. More than 216,000 have been prepared across 15 provinces for the first phase, with infrastructure to be financed through investor contributions and donations at no cost to beneficiaries.
The National Investment Commission selected Karbala as the first province to implement the program, with Najaf, Maysan, and Baghdad expected to follow once preparations are completed.
Iraq has faced a housing shortage for decades, with the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Municipalities estimating a deficit of around five million units. Successive governments have pursued housing programs and large residential projects since 2003, but demand continues to outpace supply.
Read more: Iraq's housing deficit outlasts another government plan
1 Iraqi dunam = 2,500 m²
