CM Usman Buzdar approves 10 more shelter homes

LAHORE:Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Wednesday giving approval of 10 new shelter homes in rented buildings in the provincial metropolis directed the officers concerned to identify suitable places as early as possible for setting up new shelter homes.

He was chairing a meeting to provide better facilities in shelter homes here. The committee led by ACS (U&I) presented its recommendations for bringing improvements in shelter homes and important decisions were made.

This model would be replicated in other big cities in phases and standard of facilities would also be improved. The CM approved setting up Punjab Shelter Homes Authority to oversee the arrangements while C&W Departments would take care of the buildings.

He said the PITB would devise the IT-based system to digitally monitor the shelter homes. All shelter homes would be geo-tagged and necessary data would be collected every day. The government would develop the best system to facilitate the hapless stratus, he stressed.

The CM directed signs for the identification of shelter homes on important roads and entry points and further directed to acquire more vehicles for shifting the abandoned people, sleeping on city roads, to nearby shelter homes and the cooperation of the philanthropist be acquired as well. The meeting decided to set up rehabilitation centres for beggars and addicts along with the places for feeding the needy outside shelter homes.

The CM expressed the satisfaction that the PTI government had provided shelter to the homeless and maintained that the dream of a welfare state would be materialised under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Meanwhile, President Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Ms Gabriela Cuevas Barron called on Chief Minister Usman Buzdar at his office here on Wednesday and discussed different matters including the promotion of institutional collaboration.

The CM extended felicitations to her for completing 130 years of the Inter-Parliamentary Union forum while Ms Gabriela Cuevas Barron appreciated the effective anti-corona strategy employed by the CM. Usman Buzdar also commended the services rendered by IPU President for the supremacy of the institution of the parliament. Pakistan fullybelieves in the supremacy of the parliament for strengthening democracy and it also stresses the importance of dialogue for maintaining peace, development and solution of conflicts, added Usman Buzdar. The chief minister apprised that Punjab government has taken unprecedented steps for the welfare of people. The government has planned a new city near Ravi River to overcome the city pollution and to raise the level of underground water. For this purpose, an autonomous body has been established, the CM said.

The chief minister pointed out that minorities enjoy unprecedented religious freedom and the budget has been sufficiently increased for their welfare. On the other side, the anti-corona strategy, steered by Prime Minister Imran Khan, has yielded positive results and the government was successful in overcoming this virus in Punjab, the CM added.

Meanwhile, steps have been taken to open educational institutions from the next month as line departments have played a commendable role in combating this hazard, he said. The CM apprised 13 special economic zones are being set up, adding work has started on two SEZs and the foundation stone of 3rd SEZ will be laid in Bahawalpur soon.

The government has devised a plan to provide facilities to people at their doorsteps and southern Punjab secretariat has also been set up. It enjoys administrative as well as financial autonomy, he said.

Secretaries of different departments will perform their duties in southern Punjab secretariat and people will not have to travel to Lahore for the solution of their problems. He regretted the past governments had not done anything in this regard but the incumbent PTI government has given due attention to the development of backward areas.

The CM stated that the Punjab government has made maximum legislation in the public interest and added that investors are provided best services under one window. Punjab will be made a hub of tourism and industry, the CM said.

The Punjab government is working for public welfare through the best policy and I am happy to visit Lahore. Consistency in contacts is necessary to promote the bilateral relations, observed the IPU president.

The CM hosted a luncheon in the honour of Ms Gabriela Cuevas Barron and other members of her delegation including member parliament of Mexican Congress Jose Ignacio Sanches, Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi and others. Ministers Raja Basharat, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ijaz Alam and others were also present.