With focus on poverty alleviation and public welfare, the Punjab budget for the year 2009-10 would be 'people friendly' in which no new tax will be imposed. Sources in the PML-N led Punjab government told Business Recorder, here on Tuesday that Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has already asked the authorities concerned that in the Punjab budget 2009-10, attention must be paid to the provision of maximum relief to the masses.
The sources claimed that the PML-N leadership is determined to provide basic amenities to the citizens and has already taken a number of initiatives in education, health, agriculture and other sectors. Various public welfare steps such as provision of free medicines, 'Sasti Roti' scheme, Food Support Programme, Punjab Educational Endowment Fund, would continue.
According to the sources, 1.8 million poor families are benefiting from Food Support Programme while a programme has also been evolved for imparting vocational education to the children of such families so that they could achieve self-reliance and play an active role for the development of the country. 'Sasti Roti' scheme is continuing successfully and not only the number of enlisted Tandoors is being increased but also public-spirited persons and civil society is also being included in this welfare project.
The sources claimed that Punjab Educational Endowment Fund has been set up for the first time in the country's history for the benefit of talented students, while provision of free medicines in hospitals as well as free of charge dialysis facilities have been ensured.
Talking about the Annual Development Programme (ADP) of Punjab, the sources claimed the government wanted to initiate such development projects under next ADP, which could directly benefit the common man besides helping in poverty alleviation. The government wanted to evolve a comprehensive strategy for the provision of basic amenities to the deprived segments of the society and progress of backward and far-flung areas, the sources added.
The government will pay attention to the schemes of education, health, water supply and drainage and poverty alleviation under Annual Development Programme (ADP) so that process of development of the province could be accelerated and the problem of unemployment could be overcome, the sources said.
The sources further claimed that the government has already put in place evolved an affective system for the monitoring of development projects while third party audit system has been introduced regarding mega development projects so that proper and transparent utilisation of every penny of public money could be ensured.
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