CM announces special uplift package for Narowal

LAHORE:Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Monday announced a special development package of 5.12 billion rupees during his visit to Narowal.

According to a handout issued here, the chief minister laid the foundation stone of three projects under the second phase of the ‘Naya Pakistan Manzalain Asan’ Programme. Talking to the media, the chief minister said the expansion of three roads of 17 kilo metres length had been started with an amount of Rs 230 million.

Similarly, 5.12 billion rupees would be spent on 39 different projects, adding that supply and drainage of water, roads and other projects would be completed in Zafarwal and Shakargarh with Rs 840 million. He said that 1.70 billion rupees would be spent on the construction of 33-kilometres long Narowal-Zafarwal road and Syed Chiragh Shah Bypass. Meanwhile, 188 million rupees would be spent on the up-gradation of schools and 38-kilometre long Narowal-Muridke road would be built through public-private partnership mode with an amount of Rs2.40 billion, he added. He said the Punjab government had approached the federal government to include linkage of Narowal and Narang Mandi with Lahore-Sialkot motorway in its PSDP, adding that this project would be completed with 25.34 billion. The CM said that 10.35 billion were being spent on 111 ongoing schemes. Shakargarh to Zafarwal and Kartarpur to Darbar Sahib roads improvement projects would be completed with 1.16 billion rupees, he added.

Usman Buzdar said that 80 per cent of work on up-gradation of Zafarwal BHU to THQ hospital had been completed with 213 million rupees, adding that 75 per cent work of the public park had also been completed in Zafarwal. He said that five projects including supply and drainage of water and tough tiles were underway in different areas with 240 million rupees under the Narowal-Zafarwal city package. Similarly, a police station was being constructed in Narowal with 115 million rupees and 160 million rupees had been spent on the provision of missing facilities in 57 Narowal schools, he added. He mentioned that 15 ‘Dehi Markaz-e-Maal’ had been established in Narowal and rescue 1122 service was also started in Kartarpur.

He continued that 17 schemes were completed with 500 million rupees in the local government and community development sector. Meanwhile, 31 schemes were under completion and work would also be started on additional 34 schemes, he added. He said that 116 schemes had been completed under the Punjab Municipal Services Program with 150 million rupees and work was in progress on the local government’s ADP with an amount of Rs 350 million, he added.

To a question, the chief minister said the number of vaccination centres had been increased to expedite the process, adding that more vaccination centres would be established by the government. He disclosed that every citizen would have a Sehat Insaf Card in Punjab by the end of this year for free quality treatment, adding that the universal health coverage program would be inaugurated from Layyah on May 26. Similarly, the Kisan Card programme had also been launched and the Punjab government had achieved its wheat procurement target, as well.

Buzdar said that 22,000 schools were being upgraded and the tax collection target had been achieved in the current fiscal year despite unusual circumstances due to the corona pandemic. To another question, he said the government wanted to introduce a local bodies system in Punjab at the earliest as it resolved public problems at the grassroots through local bodies institutions, adding that development was limited to certain cities in the past but composite development had been ensured by the incumbent government through a separate development package for every city.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that the Sialkot International Airport is a great gift of the business community of the city for the people of Gujranwala region and other districts.

He expressed these views while talking to Chairman Sialkot International Airport Limited (SIAL) Mian Naeem Javed after his arrival at the Sialkot International Airport. Deputy Commissioner Sialkot Tahir Farooq, District Police Officer (DPO) Abdul Ghaffar Qaisrani and other officials were also present.

The CM said that Sialkot International Airport Limited was a great example of public service in the private sector which exhibited a positive image of Pakistan. The CM assured the SIAL chairman that the airport problems and issues would be resolved on priority basis.

Meanwhile, Usman Buzdar on Monday sought a report from RPO Bahawalpur about an incident of torture on poor people and directed strict action against the perpetrators. According to a handout issued here, after CM’s directive to the authorities concerned an injured person Amjad was admitted to Bahawal Victoria Hospital, while four nominated accused were arrested by the police.