News
Saturday, August 13, 2011
All-out resources being utilised for public welfare: ShahbazStaff Report
LAHORE: Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif has said that all-out resources are being utilised for provision of basic amenities to the masses and rapid development of the province.
He said this while presiding over a high level meeting on Friday, which approved development projects worth billions of rupees under Large City and District Packages and Southern Punjab Development Programme (SPDP).
The meeting which lasted more than four hours, also reviewed in detail implementation of development packages and SPDP during the last year.
He said that record development projects were completed during the last three-and-a-half years and special attention was paid to the backward and less-developed areas of the province for bringing them at par with the developed areas and development schemes were completed on priority basis in these areas.
Completion of quality development projects on time and in a transparent manner was a policy of Punjab government and this policy was being implemented strictly throughout the province and transparent utilisation of every penny of public money has been ensured, the CM said.
He said that a number of projects had been completed in 11 districts of the province under the SPDP and in other districts under Large City and District Packages whereas the remaining projects were also being completed speedily.
Projects that could benefit the maximum number of people were being given priority under these packages, he added.
He directed that separate funds should be allocated for development and non-developmental expenditure under districts development programme during the current financial year and district coordination committees should monitor it and ensure that the funds allocated for development projects are spent on development activities only.
He directed that development schemes under special packages for Chiniot, Sargodha and Mandi Bahuddin be given final shape at the earliest.
He said that as per the pattern of Lahore, parks and horticulture authorities (PHA) should be set up in all big cities for making them beautiful and green, and that a comprehensive plan should also be made for construction of parking plazas in big cities for streamlining the flow of traffic so that people could be set free from the menace of traffic overload. He said that setting up a “public facilitation centre” for provision of all facilities under one roof to the citizens by government departments was a good idea presented by the Gujranwala commissioner, adding that the idea could be replicated in at least two or three cities across the province.
The CM said that keeping record of estimates of development projects was also an important issue and Planning and Development chairman should evolve an effective strategy in this regard and present recommendations in the next meeting.
He directed divisional commissioners to remain fully alert for coping with the damages to be caused by possible flood and rains, saying that no effort should be spared in protecting the life and property of the people and providing relief to the affected in case of an emergency.
Earlier, Planning and Development Chairman Javed Aslam gave a detailed briefing with regards to implementation of various projects under SPDP as well as Large City and District Packages whereas divisional commissioners informed about the new, ongoing and the completed schemes under various development packages in their respective divisions. Provincial Ministers Rana Sanaullah Khan, Haji Ehsanuddin Qureshi, Malik Nadim Kamran, Adviser Begum Zakiya Shahnawaz, Planning and Development chairman, secretaries of various departments and divisional commissioners also attended the meeting.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk