Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif made important announcements and also explained the performance in her marathon address during the concluding budget session in the Punjab Assembly.
She announced the launch of Apni Zamin, Apni Ghar Programme in 19 districts across Punjab. She announced to build 2400 model villages in Punjab. She announced to construct and expand 5,000 kilometers of farm-to-market roads in villages. She also announced the launch a mega project to provide clean water in South Punjab along with providing clean water at the door step of people through tankers.
The Chief Minister announced to build WASA and PHA with Rs 10 billion. She further announced to establish the first Center of Excellence Diagnostic Center in Punjab along with installing 10 CT Scan machines. She directed to complete the construction and repair of 1400 health centers in the next six months. She announced to provide Rs 80 billion for building cath labs in several cities of Punjab and providing free medicines as well.
She announced to establish Punjab’s first Nawaz Sharif Medical District, which will include seven new state-of-the-art hospitals. An air strip for air ambulances will also be built along with the Nawaz Sharif Medical District. The Chief Minister reiterated her commitment to build 500,000 houses in five years. She announced to bring Pakistan’s first crop insurance scheme for the farmers across Punjab. She announced to build more than 300 Schools of Eminence and 6,000 IT labs across Punjab. She said that after one year, children will not study sitting on the floor in any school in Punjab. She revealed that interest-free loans of Rs 200 billion will be given to 1 million farmers. The Punjab government will subsidize 20,000 tractors for the farmers. She announced the launch of the Metro Bus project in Gujranwala and Faisalabad within one and a half years and reiterated her commitment to provide targeted subsidy to the farmers up to 25 acres. She announced to increase the number of ration cards from 1.3 million to 2 million.
She announced to start shrimp farming on 5,000 acres and upgrade 1,400 dispensaries in Punjab at a cost of Rs. 10 billion. She also reiterated her commitment to provide laptops to 500,000 students in five years.
She highlighted, “Punjab’s first government airline, Air Punjab, will be launched during current year. South Punjab will be linked to North Punjab through a regional train. If there is a financial scandal of even one rupee, I will resign. I will save Rs 60 billion by awarding government contracts on e-auction. There has been only a three percent increase in government expenditure, 94 percent in local loans and 30 percent in interest. She said that electric buses will be started from South Punjab.