LAHORE: Punjab government on Friday approved Ramazan package to provide relief to the people during the upcoming holy month. A high-level meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair accorded approval to the Ramazan Package-2018 in a bid besides reviewing prices and provision of essential items in the wake of holy month. Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said that a subsidy to the tune of Rs11 billion would be provided for the provision of subsidised flour to the people during the holy month.”A 20 kg bag of flour will be available at the Ramazan bazaars and in the open market at the price of Rs500 while the 10 kg flour bag will be provided for Rs250,” he said, and added that more than 300 subsidised Ramazan bazaars would be established during the holy month to provide relief to the people. The chief minister said 32 model bazaars would also operate as subsidised Ramazan bazaars and as much as 2,000dasterkhwanwould be established across the province to provide free Sehr and Iftaar meals to those in need. He said that pulses, ghee, sugar, fruit and vegetables would be available at subsidised rates at the Ramazan bazaars and agri-fair price shops would also be set up where pulses and vegetables would be available at rates less than that in other markets. The chief minister directed that effective measures should be adopted to provide essential items at subsidised rates to the people, adding that best security arrangements should also be made at the Ramazan bazaars.”Ample provision of essential items should be ensured and no complaints of any shortage should arise,” he said, adding that provision of relief to the masses was his mission and every possible step should be adopted to achieve the goal. “The prices of essential items including fruits and vegetables should be displayed at the Ramazan bazaars and marketplaces. Digital price boards should be set up for the benefits of the visitors,” he said.”Keeping in view the hot weather, best arrangements along with prompt parking facilities should also be ensured for the visitors,” he added. Chairing a separate meeting, Shehbaz Sharif has said that loadshedding will soon become a thing of the past as the energy projects set up in Punjab with billions of rupees have been providing electricity to the whole of Pakistan through national grid. He said that provision of uninterrupted electricity has revived the industry and employment opportunities for labourers and skilled workforce have been increased. Separately, Shehbaz Sharif told Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar that Pakistan Muslim League-N will bring a revolution of development and prosperity in Karachi and other areas of the country. He said that Karachi is the economic hub of the country and all possible cooperation will be extended to solve the problems of the people of the port city. “I have been saddened to see the dreadful condition in Karachi during my recent visit. Making Pakistan’s largest city a hostage to squalor is very painful. If an opportunity is accorded by Almighty Allah and people chose us to serve them in the next elections, latest infrastructure will be developed in Karachi and other parts of the province of Sindh. Karachi will be made a beautiful hub where flowers will bloom instead of garbage,” he said. Shehbaz said the PML-N government is pursuing the agenda of public service. He said the promise of elimination of load shedding has been fulfilled while strenuous efforts have been made to eliminate the menace of terrorism. “The results of our efforts have been shown in shape of improvements in economic growth. Peace in Karachi is the result of commitment of PML-N,” he said. Waseem Akhtar paid tributes to the Punjab government for taking durable steps for public welfare, and added that Karachi requires many years to achieve the standard of development attained by Punjab. “The hospitals in Lahore are a wonderful example of an efficient administration. People of Lahore are lucky to have a Chief Minister like Shehbaz Sharif,” he added. On the request of mayor, Shehbaz Sharif also directed to send a team of health department to Karachi for bringing improvements in hospitals there. A high-level team of health department will soon visit Karachi to help improve the dilapidated condition of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. Published in Daily Times, April 21st 2018.