Government working towards reducing inequality: PM

Terming the provision of loans to small farmers and small and medium industries as major sources of employment and poverty alleviation, Prime Minister Imran Khan Saturday said the government's economic initiatives are aimed at uplifting the downtrodden and reducing inequality between rich and poor.

"Pak rupee is stabilizing, confidence of businessmen and stock market has revived and investors are looking towards Pakistan," the PM said while addressing a signing ceremony of Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the Punjab Land Record Authority (PLRA) and major private commercial banks here on Saturday. Under the agreement, a digital link would be established between the central database of land records and the banks which would verify the status of land of the farmers reducing the loan processing time from 30 days to three days just after three visits of the bank.

The premier said through this initiative, a common farmer would get agriculture loan by visiting a bank and getting his land record verified without any hassle. "This is a revolution. This is a beginning and a tremendous job. Because getting loans by the small farmers has almost been impossible so far, it was a revolution to ease out the procedural difficulties the farmers had to face to get credit so far," he said, adding: "Even small and medium industry, which is the backbone of an economy and creates the most employment, also faces difficulties to get loan." He added that around 95 percent of farmers in Pakistan owned not more than 12 acres of land that was why they needed agriculture credit.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, special assistants to Prime Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and Zulfiqar Bukhari, senior PTI leader Jahangir Khan Tareen and Governor State Bank of Pakistan Raza Baqir also attended the ceremony.

The PM said that civilized societies always played collective role to bring their people out of poverty that had also been the characteristic of the State of Madina which had taken the responsibility of its poor citizens. He said China had steered around 700 million people out of poverty within 30 years just because the state had played its due role and farmers were fully supported.

Talking about 'Ehsaas Programme', Imran Khan said, "Despite tough financial situation, the government had earmarked Rs 200 billion for various anti-poverty programmes to provide loans to youth, cash grants to women through a database connecting all the public and private sector institutions working for the poverty alleviation."

Referring to the country's economic condition during the first year of the government, the PM said the government could not concentrate on any other thing except the economy when it had to pay back US $10 billion loan taken by previous government, control the devaluing currency and bridge the current account deficit.

Quoting the Governor State Bank, the PM said it was welcoming that the farmers had been given record credit of Rs one trillion in a year which also showed that the economy was picking up. He appreciated various initiatives of the Punjab government which could brighten the future of Punjab and called for publicity of those initiatives to make the people know.

The premier appreciated performance of CM Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar and said more hard work is required to get good results. He said civilized societies do not differ in rich and poor and the government is collecting data for its largest Ehsaas Programme. He said the government is spending about 200 billions of rupees for welfare of the poor under this programme. He said an accurate database is being prepared so that no deserving is left unattended.

Governor State Bank Raza Baqir said stability is a step towards growth. He said economic growth will generate employment opportunities which will lead to prosperity in the country. He said the State Bank is working to reduce income disparity in the country through regularization and cooperation with banks. He said low income people will be provided loans.

Earlier, the premier reached Lahore on a day-long visit and deliberated on provincial affairs with Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, provincial bureaucracy and senior police officers. Sardar Usman Buzdar briefed the PM on the political and administrative issues. In his meetings with newly-appointed Chief Secretary and IG Police Punjab, the PM directed to do every work on merit and fulfill the responsibility of serving the masses. The IG Punjab was also directed to improve police culture. Imran Khan asked Usman Buzdar to improve law and order situation in the province.

IG Punjab Shoaib Dastagir apprised the PM of his vision regarding police reforms and improvements in law and order situation. Imran Khan directed him to work without any political influence. The PM said appointments in bureaucracy and other posts have been made on merit and the PTI government has freed the officers from any political interference. He said the police department enjoys legal authority but this power should only be used to serve the masses and bring improvement in the lives of the people. A competent bureaucracy is inevitable to bring about the economic development, the PM said, adding steps need to be taken for improving the law and order and governance system in Punjab province. "In Naya Pakistan, we have to change the old mindset. Old system can no more continue."

The prime minister told the senior officers that public service was their foremost responsibility and asked them to strive for uplifting the living standard of the poor man. Assuring the officers to ensure security of their service tenure, the prime minister also instructed them to curb the child abuses and protect the powerless against the powerful elements. "In the past, the police stations used to protect the influential ones. But now, your duty is to protect the poor against the powerful ones," the PM directed.