LAHORE: A series of mega development projects worth Rs 173 billion, approved by the provincial government for southern Punjab, will bring prosperity to the area by raising the living standards of the people of three southern divisions – Multan, Bahawalpur and DG Khan. Member of National Assembly (MNA) Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari said this while talking to APP on Sunday. He said that during the current financial year, an amount of Rs 173 billion was being spent on development projects in southern Punjab, and added that the provincial government was completing these projects on a fast pace. He said that the Punjab government was working on different projects on a priority basis in the southern regions of the province. “Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is personally monitoring the ongoing projects,” he said, and added that the recently completed metro bus project in Multan was a gift to the people of the city. “Now, travelling facilities of international standard are available to the general public in Multan.” He said that the CM had launched unprecedented initiatives for the welfare of the people of southern Punjab. Separately, Bahawalpur Mayor Aqeel Anjum, while appreciating the economic policies of the provincial government, said that projects worth billions of rupees in the education, health, agriculture and social sectors would improve the quality of services in those sectors. Providing the break-up of the amount allocated for these projects, a former senior official of the Planning and Development Department, Dr Mehmood Khalid Qamar, said that the government had allocated Rs 100 million for Bahauddin Zakariya University, Rs 302 million for the establishment of a women’s college in Qadirpur Ran, Rs 33 million for the establishment of a women’s college in Muzaffargarh and Rs 12 million for a boys’ college in Kabirwala. He said that Rs 277 million were also being spent on Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University in Multan. For the upgradation of infrastructure, the provincial government allocated Rs 1.2 billion, including Rs 240 million for a women protection centre, he said. “The project is in the final stage of completion.” He said that a Rescue 1122 centre at Chowk Kumharanwala in Multan and new roads in Dera Ghazi Khan and Vehari were under construction. He said that the government also earmarked Rs 44 billion to launch the Safe City Project in six cities of southern Punjab. The project would be completed by December this year, he added. Advisor to Prime Minister Makhdoom Adeelur Rehman said that due to strong economic policies of the government, national economy had been strengthened and today Pakistan was more secure and developed than it was in 2013. He said that developmental projects were being completed at a fast pace, including establishment of Khawaja Farid Engineering Information Technology University, a cadet college, the construction of a bridge on Indus River connecting Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan, upgradation of a teaching hospital in Dera Ghazi Khan and the establishment of a veterinary university in Bahawalpur. He said that the government was also planning to computerise the record of 374 of the 716 police stations in the region. “Funds have also been earmarked for specialised units, such as the Dolphin Force, an emergency response team and a special protection unit.” Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education (SHC&ME) Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah said that the government was committed to providing best healthcare facilities to the people of the above-mentioned areas. Projects launched for that purpose include construction of a district headquarters hospital in Multan and establishment of a cardiology centre in Rajanpur and construction of a hospital in Layyah, he said. He added that Rs 40 million had also been set aside for renovation work at the Vehari District Headquarters Hospital and Rs 10 million for the establishment of a urology ward at the Muzaffargarh District Headquarters Hospital. “Similarly, Rs 80.4 million were being spent on remodelling of Nishtar Hospital in Multan.” He said that an amount of Rs 170.9 had been set aside for the construction of a residential colony for the staff of Dera Ghazi Khan Medical College, while Rs 30 million had been allocated for the establishment of a children’s complex in Bahawalpur.