Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that development of resources can help achieve the goal of self-reliance and shed dependence on others for achieving a respectable status in the comity of nations.
He said that Punjab government has promoted austerity in the province and non-developmental expenditures have been curtailed to the maximum level while all available resources are being spent on the provision of basic amenities to the masses.
He was talking to elected representatives here Sunday. The pace of implementation of uplift schemes in the province was reviewed in the meeting. The Chief Minister said that nature has blessed Pakistan with abundant resources and had effective measures been taken for their development during the last 63 years there would not have been need to beg from others.
He said that corruption is the biggest hurdle in the development of the country and all segments of the society will have to play their role for rooting out this menace while a strict system of accountability will also have to be evolved.
He said that Punjab government is taking solid measures for curtailing non-developmental expenditures and promotion of austerity while strict financial discipline is also being ensured.
He said that a good example has been set by saving more than Rs 6 billion through curtailing non-developmental expenditures and merger of different departments and these resources will be spent on the welfare of the masses.
He said that service of the people is the mission of the government and maximum resource are being utilised for this purpose under the leadership of Quaid Pakistan Muslim League-N, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.
He said that a comprehensive programme is being implemented for the equitable distribution of resources and bringing the common man into the national mainstream.
He said that unprecedented facilities have been provided in health and education sectors in backward and remote areas. He said that Punjab Educational Endowment Fund has been established to help talented students facing financial problems continue their studies while the setting up of Daanish schools is a revolutionary step of the government to promote knowledge in remote areas.
He said that the students graduating from these educational institutions will play an important role in national development and progress. He said that mobile health units have been imported for providing modern health facilities to the people at their doorstep and these units have started functioning in the flood affected areas.
He said that a large number of people are benefiting from this facility and treatment facilities have been extended to 16000 patients by four mobile health units so far.
He said that transparent utilisation of funds is being ensured and every penny of public money is being spent only on the welfare and uplift of the masses. He stressed upon elected representatives to maintain a close contact with the people for resolving their problems.
Earlier, the outgoing Chief Executive Officer of Pakistan Industrial Estates Development and Management Company (PIEDMC), Major General (Retd.) Tariq Javed also met the Chief Minister. Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif appreciated the services of Major (General) Retd. Tariq Javed for industrial development in the province and said that promotion of industrial activities is the need of the hour for national development and strengthening of economy as well as elimination of poverty and unemployment. He said that new industrial estates are being established and will soon be inaugurated at various places in the province.