Minister to highlight CM’s people-friendly plans in China moot

LAHORE:Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq along with Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed will visit China’s Sichuan Province from Nov 11 to 13.

Zeeshan Rafiq will represent Punjab in the international conference to be held in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan. Around 300 delegates from 30 countries are participating in this conference. During his visit, the minister will also meet with Sichuan Provincial Party Committee Secretary Weng Xiaohui and the Governor of Sichuan to explore the possibilities of further promoting friendly relations between Punjab and Sichuan.

Zeeshan Rafiq said that he will highlight the people-friendly projects of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz during his address to the international conference. “During the visit to China, we will examine the possibilities of generating waste-to-energy technology as around 200 dumping sites were being built under the Suthra Punjab programme”, he said.

It is possible to save millions of rupees in financial resources by utilizing waste, he added. Zeeshan Rafiq further said that Sichuan is important with regard to the development of technology. “During upcoming visit, we will also examine how Punjab can benefit from Sichuan’s experience in certain fields”, he resolved. Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed Mian said that Sichuan was China’s largest province in terms of agricultural production.

“It was important to study Chinese successes in agriculture sector so that Punjab could emerge as the food basket of Pakistan. Therefore, we will also visit the agricultural facilities of Sichuan”, he said.

The launch of outsourcing program under Suthra Punjab program was also reviewed in the meeting. Lahore Waste Management Company’s CEO Babar Sahib Din gave the briefing. The minister directed that door-to-door waste collection arrangements should be finalized before the launch of outsourcing model. He said that the launching ceremony will be held after the return of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz from the foreign visit.