Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, while reviewing progress on public-private partnership based projects worth Rs 42 billion of the current Annual Development Programme (ADP), directed to review the establishment of industrial zones along newly constructed roads, as it would encourage economic activities at the grassroots.

Chairing the second meeting of public-private partnership policy and monitoring board, here Friday, the CM said that Lahore Ring Road Western Loop project would also be started in PPP-mode.

The meeting gave approval to installation of water meters in Lahore with an amount of around Rs 10.30 billion. It also approved procurement, installation and operationalization and maintenance of water meters for Lahore. The signing of the concession agreement of Lahore Ring Road Southern Loop-III project was also approved. An agreement would be signed with NLC this month. This project would be completed with an amount of around Rs 10 billion and the foundation stone would be laid next month.

The meeting gave approval to the signing of MoU with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the construction of 10 new hospitals comprising of 500 beds. The ADB would submit its recommendations after study of this project.

The Chief Minister expressed his displeasure over non-implementation of proposal about zero waste material recovery facility and said that implementation is the responsibility of the line department. Decisions should be made to move forward and red-tapism would not help. He regretted that this proposal is still under consideration in different departments for many months. I need progress in the next meeting and the one creating hurdle will have to face the consequences, he warned.

The meeting also examined the establishment of Punjab Infrastructure Fund and the chief minister said that this fund is imperative to motivate the private sector about PPP-based projects. It approved the business plan of public-private partnership policy and monitoring board. It rejected the application to revise annual service charges of silos constructed in Bhakkar and Layyah for storage of wheat. Different matters pertaining to the post of CEO of Public-Private Partnership Authority along with TORs were also approved.

The meeting approved to handover the establishment of the industrial estate in Muzaffargarh, citizen's facilitation and service centre in Punjab and Wazirabad-Sialkot-Sambrial Road projects to concerned departments under Section 45 of PPP Act, 2019.

Secretary PPP Policy and Monitoring Board Dr Farrukh Naveed said that Punjab has the potential of PPP-mode projects worth Rs 2500 billion in health, education, tourism, infrastructure, roads and other sectors during the next three years.

Provincial ministers Hashim Jawan Bakht, Samiullah Chaudhry, Advisor Salman Shah, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Chairman Planning & Development, secretaries and others attended the meeting.

Moreover, the CM has directed to expedite work on small dams in Koh-e-Suleman Range. He also gave approval to engineering and feasibility studies as experts have identified suitable places for the construction of 14 small dams.

The Chief Minister said that work should be done for constructing small dams at two places of Hathimarh, Jalaibi Morr, Fazala Choki and Fort Munro in the first phase. These dams would help to overcome damages caused by hill-torrents along-with provision of water for irrigation and drinking. He directed that the irrigation department and experts should join hands and work should be immediately started at five different places of Koh-e-Suleman Range.

Secretary irrigation, NESPAK experts and others attended the meeting.