Daily Times

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar here on Friday said that the incumbent government presented the largest development budget in the history of Punjab.

Chairing a meeting held at Commissioner Office, the CM said the Punjab government used 54% development fund and set a record as compared to other provinces.

The meeting was attended by Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Provincial Ministers, Raja Basharat, Fayyaz ul Hassan Chohan, Malik Anwar, Raja Rashid Hafeez, Yasir Humayoun and Yawar Bukhari.

Other members of National and Provincial Assemblies of Rawalpindi were also present on the occasion.

The Ministers from Rawalpindi division and Members of Assemblies presented suggestions and recommendations on public welfare schemes. Usman Buzdar addressing the participants said that so much work was done in Punjab and all-out efforts were being made to complete ongoing development projects and provide relief to the people.

The government would again utilize all available resources and give record development budget during next financial year.

“We are going to resume the process of holding meetings with the public representatives while visiting every division of the province,” said Buzdar.

The public representatives of Rawalpindi always gave unconditional support to us, he added. He informed, “We will bring good and reliable people forward in the local body elections and the candidates for Local government will be decided by the board.” The CM said, “I am monitoring the mega projects of all the districts of the province.” Usman Buzdar informed that the incumbent government had established 23 new hospitals in Punjab while 158 hospitals were also upgraded.

The CM said that the charter of 12 new universities had also been finalized which would be submitted for approval soon, adding, five new dams were also being constructed which would have a water storage capacity of more than 58 dams, built in the past in the province.

He informed that the completion of under construction Jalalpur Irrigation Project would bring agricultural revolution in the area.

The road infrastructure was being improved in Murree, Usman Buzdar said and informed that Safe City project would also be given.

The government was trying to utilize all available resources to provide relief to the people and ‘Mazdoor’ card and ‘Kissan’ card would also be given. First phase of providing 130,000 jobs across the province had been started, the CM added.

The Commissioner Rawalpindi Division giving briefing on the development profile informed that 3,631 ongoing and new development projects would be completed in Rawalpindi division at a cost of Rs. 207 billion. 765 projects of Rawalpindi Division would be completed under Annual Development Programme and 851 under Community Development Programme.

Similarly, 22 development projects of Rural Accessibility Programme and 1993 of Special Annual Programme were also included. Rawalpindi Ring Road project would help resolve traffic problem on Rawalpindi city roads. Lai Expressway and Flood Channel project would also be completed to facilitate the citizens.

New universities would be set up in Attock and Chakwal, the CM was briefed and informed that three parking cum commercial plazas would also be constructed in Rawalpindi city areas.

During the meeting, Regional Police Officer Rawalpindi briefed about law and order and other security issues. The CM was informed that a new sub-division had been established in Murree. Two new police stations in Murree would also start functioning soon.