LAHORE: The government led by Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has set a new record by utilising Rs249 billion in the first six months of the current fiscal year.
During this period, Rs89 billion more was spent under the annual development programme (ADP) than in the previous financial year. An amount of Rs160 billion was used under ADP during the first six months of the previous fiscal year.
Expressing satisfaction with the speed of ADP funds’ utilisation, the CM appreciated the performance of Chief Secretary Abdullah Sumbal, Chairman P&D Board Wasif Khurshid and their teams. He has termed it an important achievement and hoped that the provincial government would set a record for the maximum utilization of development funds. The timely utilization of funds would ensure the completion of projects within their timeframes to ensure that the people could benefit from the fruits of development, he added.
Moreover, the CM while chairing a meeting regarding wheat at his office on Tuesday said that a record reduction of Rs 100 billion has been made in the wheat procurement-related debt of the provincial government which would help in the next wheat procurement drive. Subsidies will be given to the common man through Ehsaas Program so that all and sundry could benefit from it. The farmers will be able to make immediate payments through the Punjab government's "Go Punjab App" and they will not face any problems, he added.
The CM noted that the daily wheat quota has been increased to 23 thousand metric tons so that cheap flour is within the reach of everyone.
Talking about the poultry industry, the chief minister said that the trial of the best seed has been started to overcome the soybean shortage; in one year, all the local requirements of soybean will be met from Punjab. A targeted subsidy was being given through Punjab Ehsaas Program to provide cheap-priced wheat to the people. The Punjab government has already ensured the supply of flour at cheap prices to deserving people through Ehsaas Program, he added. One can join the Ehsaas program through a CNIC number to get a targeted subsidy on flour. He said that the subsidized bazaar was an excuse for looting by PML-N as people were not given real relief through targeted subsidies.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023