Former District Nazim Lahore, Mian Amer Mahmood has said that Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) would release Rs 780 million grant in October this year for development projects in the provincial metropolis.
While talking to newsmen at 'Meet the Press' programme at the office of Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ) on Wednesday, Mian Amer, a candidate for District Nazim for the second term, said the city district government would use this amount for executing different schemes for improvement of water supply, sewerage, drainage system and removal of encroachment.
Besides, steps would be taken to overcome the problem of traffic congestion in the city, he added. Punjab Minister for Tourism Aslam Iqbal was also present on the occasion.
He said the ruling Pakistan Muslim League had not adopted traditional tactics in the local bodies' elections and avoided initiation of any new development scheme in any constituency to ensure transparency during elections. But the opposition parties feared their defeat and were levelling allegations of rigging, he added.
Mian Amer further said the opposition parties had formed groups with different names like Watan Nawaz, Awam Dost and Watan Dost to contest election which was against the election's Code of Conduct.
"I will challenge this violation on part of the opposition parties before the Election Commission," he stated.
Responding to a question, he claimed the PML-backed panels would win in all the union councils of the Lahore district.
Responding to the demand of President of PUJ, Raja Jalil Hassan Akhtar, Mian Amer promised to name the area, surrounding PUJ office as 'PUJ Avenue' to recognise the role of the union.
To another demand, he said that journalists and their families would be provided free of cost treatment in the city district government hospitals.