LAHORE: Unveiling Rs34 billion development package for Multan, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said on Monday that today is a historic occasion when the foundation stone of the South Punjab Secretariat has been laid while fulfilling the long-standing demands of the people.
“I am thankful to PM Imran Khan and the construction and timely completion of the South Punjab Secretariat in Multan will be ensured. Similarly, the foundation stone of the South Punjab Secretariat will be laid soon in Bahawalpur. South Punjab was kept deprived in the past and people were deceived through fudge figures. The utilizing of the development budget in South Punjab was not more than 17 percent in the past but the incumbent government has allocated and ring fenced 33 percent funds for Southern Punjab, he said while addressing the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the South Punjab Secretariat and announcement of the Multan Development Package in Multan.
The CM said that more than 27 thousand schools, including 38 percent from South Punjab, have been upgraded. Meanwhile, PTI inherited unfinished projects worth Rs1300 billion and these schemes are being completed to facilitate the people. The people of South Punjab have entrusted the PTI and the development of Multan is a priority agenda of the government. Under the district development package, he said hundred development schemes will be completed in Multan including 47 roads, 23 supply and disposal of water, 9 educational, 6 healthcare and other departments’ projects. Work has been started on several projects and timely completion will be ensured, he added.
The CM said that development projects costing 78.72 crore rupees will be completed under the local government development programme in Multan. 4 development schemes of Rs3.31 billion have been inaugurated in Multan including e-khidmat centre, shelter home, urban forest and labour housing colony in an industrial estate. 992 flats are being given to labourers in the labour housing colony, he added. He said that foundation stone of 5 schemes has been laid with an amount of Rs8.97 billion in Multan including dual Mattital road, shelter home, 200-bed mother and child hospital, similarly, the expansion of Multan-Vehari Road will be completed with a cost of Rs18 billion in PPP mode, he added.
The CM said the South Punjab Secretariat will be completed with Rs3.54 billion rupees adding that ACS and additional IG have been posted while the number of departments has been increased for the South Punjab secretariat. Meanwhile, legislation is being made to allocate job quota for South Punjab’s youth. Meanwhile, separate service tribunal and drug courts will be established for South Punjab. Two drug courts will be established in Sahiwal and DG Khan respectively along with the establishment of a service tribunal, intellectual property rights courts and environment tribunal.
The CM said 316 schools, including 269 girls schools, are being upgraded in Multan with a cost of 73.85 crore rupees. Similarly, needy youth is given loans worth more than 35 crore rupees in Multan under Punjab Rozgar Scheme and facility this will continue. The Punjab government is providing direct subsidy to farmers through Kisan Cards for agri-inputs.
The latest agri-machinery worth 47 crore rupees has been provided to farmers at a subsidized rate, he said and further stated that crops’ insurance programme will be continued. More tractors will be given under Punjab Rozgar Scheme, he added.
The CM said the Punjab Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project of around 90 billions of rupees are being started from this year in collaboration with the World Bank in 16 tehsils of the province, including 8 tehsils of South Punjab, to complete projects related to supply and drainage of water in villages. Rs11 billion will be spent on water supply, sewerage, solid waste management, street lights, roads and parks in the next two years in Vehari, Burewala, Khanewal, Kot Addu and Bahawalnagar under Punjab Cities Project, he added.
Moreover, the CM in a statement regretted that the opposition is using the corona challenge for its political gains. The CM asserted that every effort was made by the government to deal with the third corona wave adding that the number of ventilators and oxygen beds has been increased in the hospitals to facilitate the patients. Regrettably, the opposition is trying to achieve mundane political mileage over the corona issue, he added. However, those distancing the people in the corona pandemic have been isolated, he added.
The CM regretted the PDM had busted a gut to spread coronavirus by holding public meetings during the pandemic. This selfish cabal played with the lives of the people to gain some political benefits; this proves the impassive opposition has no regard for the lives of the people.
Those who did not care for the health and safety of the people, during the pandemic, have become a symbol of disgrace; concluded the CM.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021