Exemplary measures taken for special persons’ welfare: CM

Meeting approves mentors’ appointment for special persons guidance

LAHORE

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said the Punjab government has taken exemplary measures for the welfare of special persons. 

The CM chaired a meeting on Thursday which gave approval to various measures for the welfare of special persons. The meeting approved in principle appointment of mentors at tehsil level for the guidance of special persons. 

Addressing the meeting, the CM said Punjab government has taken exemplary measures for the welfare of special persons. He said that special persons are an important segment of society and steps will continue for making them useful citizens. He said help and rehabilitation of special persons is the responsibility of the state and all out resources will be utilised for this purpose. He said special persons deserve special treatment of society. 

He said that the quota of disabled persons in jobs has been increased from two percent to three percent. He said that job opportunities have been created for 950 blind persons in public sector institutions and for 721 highly educated disabled persons in universities and colleges. 

He said that registration of 26,000 blind persons has been completed and they will be given age relaxation of up to 10 years in government jobs. He said special centres have been set up 13 districts for the rehabilitation of blind persons. He said that besides free treatment facilities, 50 per cent reduction in transport charges has been made for special persons. The CM said an exemplary programme is continuing to make special persons active members of society instead of being a burden. He said special persons are also being imparted skills under Skills Development Programme.

education: Shahbaz Sharif has said the Punjab government has evolved a splendid programme for achieving the targets in education sector till 2018. The CM chaired a meeting on Thursday which reviewed the pace of implementation of reforms programme in education sector. The meeting expressed its satisfaction over the steps taken under reforms programme for ensuring attendance of teachers in schools and promotion of quality education. 

Addressing the meeting, the CM said under ‘Parho Punjab, Barho Punjab’ programme the attendance of teachers had substantially improved in schools. He said promotion of quality education is his mission and it will be fulfilled at any cost. He said the Punjab government will continue to provide funds for this purpose in future as well. He said appointments of teachers in Punjab have been made purely on merit due to which the standard of education is improving. 

The CM announced a cash prize of Rs 50,000 each for EDO Education, Gujranwala, Muhammad Sohaib Imran and EDO Education, Narowal, Ayaz Sabir for their outstanding performance for achieving educational targets. He said the system of reward and punishment is essential for the achievement of the targets in education sector. He said the government will continue to provide resources for the promotion of quality education. He said continuous and effective measures are needed for provision of quality education to children in schools. He said provision of funds for promotion of quality education is a useful investment in the future of the country and there will be no shortage of resources for this purpose. The CM said that attendance of teachers and students in schools has substantially improved, however, there is a need for continuous monitoring of the steps taken in this regard.

governor: A meeting was held between Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Punjab Governor Malik Rafique Rajwana, here Thursday. Matters on mutual interest, law and order and development projects in Punjab were discussed in the meeting. The chief minister said that there was no room for extremism, terrorism and sectarianism in the country. He said that the Punjab government had taken effective measures for the protection of life and property of citizens. He said that a splendid example had been set by saving billions of rupees in development projects. He said that transparency and high standard in the execution of development projects was the hallmark of the Punjab government.

Punjab Governor Malik Rafique Rajwana said that the Punjab government under the leadership of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was implementing revolutionary programmes for the welfare and uplift of masses.