Soft loans for youths soon: minister

LAHORE:Provincial Minister for Industry and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal Monday visited his camp office and listened to people’s problems and issued on the spot orders for the solution of their problems.

The provincial minister said that a big programme of soft loan for the youth was being finalised and it would be launched soon. He said that serving the people and solving their problems was the top most the government’s priority and we have to serve the people with dedication. He said that according to the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, no stone will be left unturned for solving people’s problems. Every step will be taken for the welfare of the masses.

He said that government officers should work with passion and dedication to solve the peoples’ problem and they should keep the doors of their offices open to the public. He said that every possible effort would be made to redress the grievances of the citizens.

The people belonging to different walks of life also met the provincial minister at his camp office and congratulated him on assuming the office of industries and trade minister.

Talking to the delegation, he said that a big programme of soft loan for the youth was being finalised and it would be launched soon. He said that all the measures were being taken to empower the youth. He also said that a comprehensive policy is also being announced for the promotion of big and small industries.

corruption-free: Provincial Minister for Revenue Malik Muhammad Anwer has said that the vision of Imran Khan is change in every department and it is only possible in the shape of corruption-free country.

He expressed these views while chairing a meeting at Board of Revenue’s committee room, Monday. The meeting was attended by Secretary Revenue Naveed Haider Sherazi, secretaries S&C, S&R, Colonies, DG PDMA and all the members of department.

Senior member of Revenue Board Saeed Nawaz briefed the minister about the activities of the department. He told the minister that department BOR constituted under the WP Board of Revenue, Act, 1957 renamed as BOR, Punjab on dissolution of one unit in 1970.

BOR as largest contributor to provincial receipts worked with attached departments included Revenue Department, Colonies Department, Consolidation of Holdings Department and Administration Wing.

Other functional units included Research & Gazetteer Cell, Directorate of Land Records/ Punjab Land Records Authority, Settlement & Rehabilitation Wing, Punjab Land Commission, Chief Inspector of Stamps, Punjab Privatisation Board, Directorate of Katchi Abadies, Provincial Disaster Management Authority and Evacuee Trust Properties Wing. All the members discussed issues like resistance to cultural change by revenue administration, acute shortage of offices, transport and residences for staff, high turnover of skilled HR and issues of corruption, ambiguity of tax payments with FBR, introduction of new technologies and need for perpetual funding. They all appealed to the minister about reforms in the department.

The provincial minister said that the vision of Imran Khan is change in every department and it is only possible in the shape of corruption-free country. He said that we have to work hard for quick progress of Pakistan and everyone has to perform his role. He assured of all possible reforms in the department for the betterment of common man.

Cotton seed: Punjab Minister for Agriculture Malik Nouman Ahmad Langerial visited Agriculture House on Monday where Director General Agriculture (Ext) Syed Zafaryaab Haider briefed him about department activities.

During the briefing, the minister was informed that during this year cotton crop has been cultivated on 5.7 million acre area and for better production approved varieties of cotton seed have been provided on 50 percent subsidy to core cotton area Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan Divisions.

An amount of Rs23.518 million has been spent on this subsidy and 22,347 farmers were benefitted from this subsidy scheme. Besides this, spray machinery at the cost of Rs14.74 million had been provided to the farmers.

On this occasion, the minister said that cotton is most important crop of the province and need of time is to keep farmers informed about its clean picking as prices of cotton in international market vary due to clean picking of cotton.

The minister also planted a sapling at Agriculture House during his visit to kick off the tree plantation campaign under Prime Minister Green Programme. He also directed the Director General (Ext) to engage his field workers in planting trees.