LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to expand the ‘Clinic on Wheels’ in 112 tehsils of Punjab which offers basic health facilities to the people’s doorsteps.
In this connection, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif ordered the relevant department to start ‘Clinic on Wheels’ and provide 444 clinic-on-wheels vans in 112 tehsils while chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Standing Committee on Finance and Development (SCCFD) on Wednesday. She added that these clinics would have ultrasound facilities.
Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman and senior officials were present at the meeting.
The Chief Minister also directed the authorities concerned to construct a two-way Multan-Vehari Road, adding that they want to ease the lives of the people; if a single road is built, traffic problems would continue. She further directed that the authorities concerned take sustainable measures to prevent floods every year, adding that damages due to floods every year are akin to incompetence.
On the occasion, the meeting approved setting up the Punjab Film Fund, besides the conversion of the Digital Communication Cell into the Strategic Communication Cell in the Department of Environment and Climate Change. It also approved the upgradation, construction and maintenance of border outposts in the Sargodha and DG Khan regions, along with the construction of the M2 Motorway Interchange at the entrance of Quaid-e-Azam Business Park Sheikhupura, and a flyover at Chanda Qila Chowk Gujranwala.
The SCCFD agreed to include the Narowal-Kartarpur Corridor Scheme in the Annual Development Program 2024-25. It also reviewed the construction of an additional carriageway along Mianwali to CPEC Interchange Dawood Khel. It decided in principle to make three dual carriage roads, including Delhi Multan and Toba Tek Singh roads. The meeting also approved the proposal to increase grants for houses for the families of police martyrs.
It approved a request for funds under a supplementary grant for Charar Drain in FY 2023-24. The meeting was told that the drainage system would be improved after laying a sewer line from Burki Road to Hudyara drain. It approved the construction of a flood protection embankment to protect slums and agricultural land from soil erosion due to floods.
The SCCFD approved Grant-in-Aid for ChildLife Foundation to improve pediatric emergency care. It also approved the provision of retro-reflective number plates in Punjab. Moreover, funds for the upgrade and revamping of Biodiversity Park and Banser Gully Zoological Garden in Murree and the Murree Development Plan were approved, under which Murree’s water supply system will be improved while Nurseries Botanical Garden and Parks will be upgraded. It decided to release a supplementary grant of Rs137.5 million for Murree Municipal Corporation, besides approving a project for the construction of the District Office Special Branch in Murree. It also approved the construction, maintenance and renovation of water supply, drainage, street lights, streets and roads in Murree district.
Approval of the Upgradation of Special Branch Headquarters, Roberts Club Lahore, was also accorded by the SCCFD. It approved the recruitment of 274 Technicians in the Primary and Secondary Health Care Department and agreed to the recruitment of allied health professionals in the hospitals of the Department of Specialized Health and Medical Education.
The SCCFD approved relaxation in recruitment to vacant posts in the Transport Planning Unit and three vacant posts of the Punjab Civil Protection Authority. It also approved to start of branchless payments through the Bank of Punjab instead of cash payments to daily wages employees in the forest department to ensure transparency.
The meeting further approved the re-validation of Rs443.301 million in lapsed funds of PSDP for the financial year 2024-25. It also approved a supplementary grant of funds received from the Federal government for PSDP projects Approval of renewal of contract of Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Fort Munro DG Khan with Pakistan Air Force was accorded by the SCCFD.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024