Okays Rs1b increase in Sports Endowment Fund
LAHORE
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif chaired a meeting to review different steps regarding provision of health facilities to the people.
According to a handout, the chief minister gave approval to buy 14 mobile health units. He said that the six mobile health units were already playing important role in providing quality health services to the people living in the remote areas of south Punjab. Now, 14 additional mobile health units will provide medical facilities to the people of south Punjab, he added.
Shahbaz Sharif said the Punjab government was implementing a comprehensive programme for improving health facilities in south Punjab. He said that 20 mobile units were also being purchased for diagnostic services in the remote areas.
The chief minister directed that the procurement cell be run under institutional mechanism in health department.
sports board: Shahbaz Sharif chaired the first meeting of general body of Sports Board Punjab on Saturday which took important decisions and accorded approval to the steps regarding promotion of sports activities in the province.
The chief minister announced increase of one billion rupees in Sports Endowment Fund and with this increase, the volume of the fund be one billion thirty crore rupees. He accorded approval to the constitution of Project Management Unit for developing playgrounds throughout the province and Hanif Abbasi will be its head. The meeting also gave approval to the decision of holding Khadim-e-Punjab Sports Competitions and launching Khadim-e-Punjab Sports Talent Hunt Programme.
Shahbaz Sharif said the increase in Sports Endowment Fund would help promote sports. He said monthly stipends would be given to the players winning laurels for Pakistan in different sports from the income of this fund. He said, "The players hoisting the flag of Pakistan at international level are national heroes and their look after and removal of their financial difficulties is our responsibility." The youth will be empowered with more investment on them, he added. He said that a comprehensive policy would have to be implemented for the promotion of sports activities.
The chief minister said that sports activities would be promoted at every level for talent hunt at the lower level. He said that there was great talent in the streets and mohallas of the province and there was a need to move this talent forward. He said that new talent would be brought forward in consultation with ex-players.
Shahbaz Sharif said that 66 playgrounds of the province would be developed during the current year, out of which, 42 would be reserved for cricket. He said that big playgrounds present in educational institutions would also be developed and floodlights would be installed in these play grounds for holding sports competitions at night. He said that a sports academy would be established in the province.
Issuing directions to the officers concerned to take steps for setting up a sports academy, the chief minister said that the services of professional coaches be acquired for promoting different sports and imparting training to girls and boys besides public private partnership should also be reviewed for providing sports facilities in the playgrounds.
Shahbaz Sharif directed formation of subcommittees for forwarding sports programmes in a comprehensive manner and said that expert players of relevant sports should be included in these committees. These committees will suggest short, medium and long-term steps, he added.
He said that the committees should start their work today in order to take decisions without any delay for empowering the youth. The sports secretary and Sports Board Punjab DG briefed the meeting on steps being taken in connection with promotion of sports activities. Provincial Ministers Jahangir Khanzada, Rana Mashhood Ahmed, Syed Raza Ali Gillani, Adviser Dr Umer Saif, Shiza Fatima Khawaja, inspector general of police, Punjab, Sports Board Punjab Vice-Chairman Hanif Abbasi, MPA Mian Muhammad Munir, prominent players Intikhab Alam, Kh Junaid Aslam and Awais Akbar also attended the meeting.
Gwardar school: Shahbaz Sharif chaired a meeting to review the progress of Khadam-e-Punjab Bahria Model School and College Gwadar Project.
Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said the Punjab government was constructing school for boys and girls of Gwadar. The project will play an important role in providing quality education to the children of Gwadar, he added. He said that the step of Punjab government would help promote interprovincial harmony. He said that boys and girls of Gwadar are bright future of Pakistan.
Shahbaz Sharif said the Punjab government had included the children of all the provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir in its educational programmes.
Provincial Minister for Schools Education Rana Mashhood Ahmed, Pakistan Marine Academy Karachi Commandant Commodore Akbar Naqi, schools education secretary and other officials also attended the meeting.
Raise in fund for artists: Shahbaz Sharif has given approval to an increase of three crore rupees in the Artist Welfare Support Fund.
After this, the volume of Artist Welfare Support Fund will increase from two crore rupees to five crore rupees.
The chief minister, "The increase in the fund has been made to lessen the financial difficulties of needy artists as welfare of the artistes promoting different arts is our responsibility." Process of financial support to genuine artists will be continued in future as well, he added.
The chief minister directed the information secretary to spend this money on the welfare of only genuine and deserving artists.