Daily Times

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar on Tuesday announced development projects of worth of more than Rs 17.6 billion, during his visit to Sargodha and Chiniot.

Usman Buzdar also inaugurated development schemes costing billions of rupees and laid the foundation stones of public welfare projects during his visit to the cities.

Talking to the media here at circuit house Chief Minister vowed to provide equal development opportunities to every district and tehsil of the province.

Under the package for Sargodha, two lane road from Sial Morh to Sargodha, 47 overhead bridges, modern emergency wards, Panahgah, construction and repairing of roads from farms to market and sewerage system project of the city would be constructed.

He said the district development package would usher in a new era of development and prosperity of the region. He further said that more than Rs.7 billion was being released for the construction of two lanes of Chiniot road from Sargodha.

The CM Punjab said that Rs.2 billion were being allocated for the sewerage system of the city while construction of two lanes road from Mianwali to Sargodha would soon be completed.

Regarding housing society for media persons, Usman Buzdar said that construction of housing colony for Sargodha journalists would soon be started.

Separately, during his visit to Chiniot the CM directed the authorities to expedite the Faisalabad-Chiniot-Sargodha road project with an amount of Rs. 12.7 billion. He inaugurated four road sector projects in Chiniot costing 43.71 crore rupees besides laying the foundation stones of two projects of Rs.85.31 crore. He inaugurated projects worth 62.30 crores in Sargodha and laid the foundation stones of four projects of 1.21 billion and 60 lac rupees. CM also planted saplings on the occasion.

At the second phase of his field visits, the CM announced new development projects of Rs. 5.60 billion for Chiniot. He announced to construct the Chiniot section of Faisalabad-Chiniot-Sargodha road with a cost of 4.50 billion. He also inaugurated four projects of construction of 45 kilometre long farm-to-market roads costing 43.71 crores in Chiniot. The foundation stone of two other projects of the road sector was also laid. These roads will be completed with an amount of 85.31 crore rupees. Five projects of construction of 43.5 km long roads will be completed under RAP phase-II. The foundation stone of THQ hospital Bhawana was also laid

The CM added that the feasibility report will be prepared for Boys College in Lalian and girls Degree College in Bhawana while 67 km long Faisalabad-Chiniot-Sargodha road will be constructed with an amount of Rs.12.70 billion.

The CM, while highlighting his government’s performance on drive against land grabbers, said thousands of acres of land is being retrieved daily in Punjab from squatters.

Meanwhile, taking a dig at the opposition he said the CM said the opposition is in tatters and affirmed that the government is not scared and will give a befitting reply.

The CM, during his visit to the districts, held meetings with parliamentarians and party workers to discuss public problems. He regretted that districts like Chiniot were kept retrograde in the past and vowed to bring change in such areas. Inclusion of Pindi Bhattian-Chiniot road in PSDP will be recommended, he said.

No corruption scandal has surfaced in two and a half years while solid policies have been devised to overcome the price-hike, he said. A separate district development package is being devised to ensure composite development and schemes included in the district development package will be completed in the next two and a half years, he announced. Development is the right of every area and the government will fulfil its responsibility, he continued. SACM Firdous Ashiq Awan and others were also present.

The CM also said that the health card scheme will be completed by the end of this year while a seven billion Ramzan package has been announced. Billions of rupees are earmarked for a self-employment scheme for giving loans to needy youth. Ten thousand are being recruited along with the purchase of 600 police vehicles and construction of new police stations. The ratio of corona positive cases has reached 12 per cent in Sargodha and citizens should follow SOPs.

During his visits, the Chief Minister also suspended two officers and reprimanded the jail superintendent for showing negligence during his visits to Chiniot and Sargodha. The CM also sought a report on the complaint of corruption in a hospital.

During the Chiniot visit, citizens complained about corruption by a tehsildar and the accountant of the Accounts Office. The CM issued an order for suspending Tehsildar Nadeem Khwaja and Accountant Muhammad Arshad Ghumman. The CM also took notice of irregularities in public health engineering schemes in Chiniot and directed the CMIT to hold an investigation.