LAHORE: New local government system in Punjab will be operational in two months and a modern urban development system is being introduced in the province.
This was informed by Punjab Secretary Planning and Development Iftikhar Ali Sahoo while talking to a 45-member delegation of Provincial Youth Assembly Punjab, led by Faheem Ahmed Khan, PILDAT senior projects manager and Sports Board Punjab Director Administration Muhammad Anees Sheikh at P&D Complex, here on Saturday.
He said that the Punjab government was committed to improving service delivery at door-steps of people by utilising all-out resources. “All energy projects will be completed on time,” he said. Giving a presentation on development projects, the secretary P&D said that the Punjab government had initiated a number of development projects relating to different sectors in the province.
He said that development of south Punjab is top priority of the government. He said that the Orange line train project at Lahore would be functional by 2018, Lahore Knowledge Park would start in the current financial year where reputed universities would open their educational campuses.
He said that Punjab Planning and Development Department played a vital role in socio-economic development of the province, adding that 29 per cent GDP of the country was being contributed by the P&D. The Punjab government has increased its development budget from Rs 400 billion to Rs 550 billion in the current fiscal year 2016-17, he said.
He said that the government is spending billions of rupees in several sections including education sector, health, security, agriculture, water supply and sanitation, and infrastructure sector. As many as 11 million children has been registered in 52,000 public schools under the Khadim-e-Punjab School Programme, he added.
He said that the Punjab education endowment funds supported 200,000 students in higher education sector and 145,000 teachers had been employed on merit for public schools. Citing several projects of the provincial government to facilitate the masses, he said Saaf Pani Project had been started to provide clean drinking water, Interest-free loan and the Kisan Package for small farmers.
The secretary said that the Punjab Skills Development Programme, Rural Road Programme, Specialised counter-terrorism force to protect lives of people, Safe City, initiated in major cities, are some of main projects of the government. He said that security cameras are being installed on major roads to monitor the terrorism activities and Khidmat Card scheme launched to facilitate the disabled persons.
“In Punjab, 57 million properties has been automated by the government,” he added. He said that Quaid-e-Azam Apparel Park was being executed with the Chinese investment by the government and major hospitals are being revamped. P&D Additional Secretary Dr Shahid Adil, Project Manager Eman Khan, P&D Information and Technology Manager Muhammad Haseeb and other officials of P&D Department attended the briefing session.
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