PM approves shelter homes across Punjab

LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said the state is responsible for looking after the weak.

Chairing a meeting here on Saturday, he directed the provincial government to take measures for expansion of shelters homes for the homeless across the province to accommodate maximum number of downtrodden.

He said the state is supposed to show compassion towards the poor segments of society. The Lahore commissioner told the prime minister that currently, five shelter homes are under construction in the provincial capital, of which three would be opened in April and the rest in May this year.

The prime minister was told that a governing board comprising philanthropists would oversee the affairs of the shelters and the government would play a role of the facilitator.

The meeting also deliberated on the legal aspects of the project. The philanthropists also put forward a proposal for arranging food for the attendants of the patients, admitted to hospitals. The prime minister said it is encouraging that the philanthropists are fully supporting that noble cause. While encouraging the interest of the philanthropists and practical measures by them for the establishment of the shelters, the prime minister assured all-out support by the government.

The premier also chaired a meeting on Primary Health Initiatives in the eight districts of Punjab. The Minister for Health Punjab, Dr Yasmin Rashid, briefed him about the Health Structure Improvement Strategy pertaining to primary and secondary healthcare, said a PM Office statement. Imran was also briefed about the up-gradation of urban health centres and Mother and Child Healthcare initiatives in the remote areas. Dr Yasmin also presented recommendations for finalization of five-year Healthcare Vision to the prime minister.

The prime minister urged the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) to launch a full-fledged awareness drive against adulterated food items. During a briefing by the PFA here, Imran was apprised about the steps being taken by the Authority to stop food adulteration.

The PFA Director General briefed the prime minister about the measures being taken to ensure quality and availability of pure eatables to consumers. The prime minister ordered for devising a comprehensive strategy to ensure the supply of healthy milk and called for strict action against the milk adulterators.

Prime Minister Imran Khan also chaired another meeting wherein he was briefed on the status of revenue collection by the Punjab Revenue Authority. During the meeting, Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht told the prime minister that the revenue recoveries had witnessed 15 per cent increase during the first seven months, compared with the corresponding period of last year.

Moreover, he said the Punjab Board of Revenue had also slashed its annual budget expenditures remarkably.