Senate body to resolve south Punjab issues

LAHORE: Senate Secretariat Federal Functional Committee on Problems of Less Developed Areas (PLDA) Chairman Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar on Friday said that issues relating to central government would be resolved by the committee.

He was talking to a delegation of the committee members, including Senator Gianchand, Senator Ayub Khan Afridi, Senator Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen and Senator Kalsoom Parveen, who visited the Planning and Development Complex, Lahore to discuss future plans and remedial steps to redress the grievances of the people of less developed areas in Southern Punjab Districts.

Senator Usman Kakar said that issues relating to central government would be resolved by the Senate Functional Committee. The basic motive of the committee is to maintain equality of development amongst the all provinces of Pakistan.

The committee chairman made some reservations about the issues and matters of the less developed areas of the southern Punjab districts. He focused on important issue of the flood arrangements in Rajanpur.

We should focus on the wastage of dam water. Electricity may be provided to 40 percent villages of Rajanpur. Both side roads of Sheikh Zayed Bridge may be constructed immediately, he observed.

The senator mentioned that clean drinking water was not available there. Less developed areas will have Benazir Income Support and Health Cards for 100 percent females. Tourist point should be developed and vacant posts in different departments be filled up.

Farmers’ welfare and reforms in policy be implemented in Lodhran. Besides, vocational centres should be established there, he added. Planning and Development Chairman Habib-ur-Rehman Gilani briefed the committee on the uplift of Southern Punjab Districts Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Layyah and Lodhran.

He said the Punjab government was committed to uplift the Southern Punjab and redress the grievances of the people of less developed areas by taking remedial steps. New funding allocations would be made for starting of development projects in less developed areas in upcoming financial year 2019-20 as the previous government had not seriously focused on the southern Punjab uplift. All the public welfare projects would be the government priority. Employment opportunities would be generated for public of southern Punjab. The new Secretariat for Southern Punjab would be made functional soon. Under the direction of Punjab Chief Minister, necessary arrangements for water sports and tourist resorts are being given final touches, he concluded.