Pervaiz restores sports activities in colleges

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi chaired a meeting to review steps relating to the promotion of higher education according to international standards. The meeting decided to restore sports activities in the colleges while deliberating upon the proposal to give financial autonomy to the colleges.

Adviser to CM Aamir Saeed Raan, Chief Secretary Abdullah Sumbal, secretary higher education department and others were present in the meeting. The CM announced holding sports tournaments in colleges to promote healthy activities in society. It's being reviewed to condition the principal's ACR with sports activities in the college; he stated and added that reforms would be introduced for transparent utilisation of funds in the universities. The legislation would also be enacted to hire consultants from local universities.

Alongside this, an IT wing would be established to provide necessary facilities in colleges and to identify the non-availability of facilities, the CM added. Director Colleges would report missing facilities in colleges after every visit. The Higher Education Department would be developed to introduce positive changes for ensuring a better future for the students, he further said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi visited Winter Festival organised by PHA and inspected the traditional food stalls at the Jilani Park on Tuesday evening. Chief Minister expressed deep interest in the traditional food stalls of Punjab. He also inspected the various handicraft stalls and praised the artists' creations. On the arrival of the Chief Minister at Jilani Park, the artists performed dances on folk songs of Punjab to the beat of drums. A horse dance was also performed on this occasion.

Chief Minister said that he introduced the food court for the first time, now he will expand the chain of food courts, he added. The best entertainment is being provided to the citizens through the winter festival. The govt has always promoted tourism, culture and heritage and the colours of the culture of Pakistan, especially Punjab, are prominent in the Winter Festival, he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Reed Aeschliman, Mission Director of USAID Pakistan called on Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at his office and agreed to enhance the development partnership between Punjab and USAID on Tuesday.

Both agreed to promote bilateral cooperation in IT, agriculture, water management, energy, education and security sectors. Cooperation was assured by USAID regarding the construction of small dams and clean energy and Reed Aeschliman welcomed the progress regarding the agreement to declare Punjab and California as sister states.

The CM termed USAID as an excellent development partner of the Punjab govt and vowed to enhance cooperation with it to improve the economy, business and investment. Under the new growth strategy of USAID for the next five years, steps would be taken to expand cooperation in the future, he said.

My earlier education reforms program was appreciated globally; Pervaiz Elahi remarked and added that education has been made free up to graduation by the incumbent govt. The water management program was started in 2002 but the subsequent govt did not do anything about it. In the previous era, a project was envisaged to build small dams based on the flow of canal water. Unfortunately, the PMLN govt surrendered this project to politics, he added. Now, the govt is going to restart the construction of small dams as it would provide cheap electricity and water to the farmers. Alongside this, the govt is also providing solar tube wells to the farmers and electric vehicles are being introduced to fulfil the vision of a green Punjab; the CM said and mentioned that USAID's support in these programs would be welcomed.