Maryam launches E-bike programme for students

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz inaugurated the Chief Minister’s Youth Initiative ‘E-bike programme’ by giving a symbolic key to a college student of Jampur on Thursday. She also launched the Vehicle Inspection Regime for Private Vehicle Project and also gave the first e-loader rickshaw manufacturing licence to the Nawawa Mobilizers Company. The chief minister also announced the E-bike project phase 2, establishing solarized charging stations in colleges and universities.

She said the Punjab government will pay Rs20,000 out of Rs40,000 as a down payment for E-bikes. We received applications from 8,000 female students and are giving E-bikes to all of them, she said. Maryam said students will also be given laptops and added the government was introducing a scholarship programme of Rs25 billion for students who cannot afford higher education.

Regarding E-bikes, the chief minister said they have fixed reasonable monthly instalments. “For children whose parents are not alive, the condition to acquire their guarantee has been abolished. We will make Punjab green by shifting to electric transport. We have also signed an MoU for getting environment-friendly buses and 27 buses will arrive by December.”

Regarding smog, Maryam said Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb was working vigorously to eliminate smog and environmental pollution.

The chief minister also inquired about three-wheeler E-tron features for the ride of women and also inspected electric loader rickshaws. She was apprised of E-road washer vehicles and given a briefing about the electric buses project.

The chief minister also attended the oath-taking ceremony of the newly appointed Chief Justice Lahore High Court, Justice Alia Neelum. The governor administered the oath to the LHC chief justice. Maryam congratulated Justice Neelum on taking the oath as the first female chief justice of LHC. She said a female chief minister and a female chief justice are a unique honour for Punjab.

Presiding over a meeting on digitalization and digital communication in Punjab, the chief minister said fast internet was important for getting employment from e-commerce and freelancing services. She said digital technology projects should be implemented equally in rural and urban areas. Earlier, the chief minister was briefed by Hatem Bamatraf on the PTCL’s high-speed internet and better connectivity for public sector projects. He appreciated Maryam Nawaz’s Digital Punjab vision and assured her of full cooperation. Maryam also discussed with Bamatraf the expansion and improvement of telecommunication infrastructure in Punjab to improve internet access in urban and rural areas. She noted free Wi-Fi service has been launched in Lahore and will be extended to other districts soon.

In her message on the World Population Welfare Day, the chief minister said the impact of population growth on resources and the environment needs to be understood. She said it was critical to maintain a balance between population and resources which is key to prosperity. She noted, “Natural resources and infrastructure cannot withstand increasing population pressure. The Punjab SocioEconomic Registry is an effort to record accurate data of every household.”