Focus on South Punjab backward areas uplift: Buzdar

MULTAN/LAHORE : Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar Wednesday said the extremely backward districts of south Punjab are the prime focus of the ongoing development schemes.

Speaking at a meeting held in Multan Circuit House to review the pace of work on development schemes in Dera Ghazi Khan Division, he said there would be no discrimination against any district in allocation of development funds in the province. He said Rs 61.8 billion were being spent on 477 development schemes in DG Khan division. Eighty-five per cent development work has been completed. He warned the officers concerned that no compromise on quality of development projects and deadline would be made.

The CM ordered the officials to complete the development work soon on Bahauddin Zakariya University‘s Layyah campus building. He ordered provision of basic amenities in DG Khan schools on an urgent basis.

While briefing the chief minister, DG Khan Division Commissioner Tahir Khurshid said that 75pc development work had been completed on Muzafargarh-DG Khan Road, 74pc on DG Khan school schemes and 99pc work on BZU Bahadar campus in Layyah. He said that development work on the community development schemes was continuing.

kidney diseases: Usman Buzdar has said that kidney diseases are increasing gradually due to ignorance about the precautionary measures and timely treatment. In his message on the eve of World Kidney Day, the CM said that people should be educated on the precautionary measures against kidney diseases.

“Provision of medical facilities for the treatment of kidney diseases in government hospitals is our priority and necessary steps are being taken in this regard,” he said. Meanwhile, Usman Buzdar presiding over a meeting at his office reviewed to a plan set up trauma centres in teaching hospitals and recommendations about the launch of air-ambulance service.

The meeting decided to set up trauma centres in teaching hospitals. Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said trauma centres would be established in teaching hospitals in the first phase and their number would be increased in phases. He directed that all the trauma centres be made functional as human lives could be saved through prompt first-aid in case of accidents. He said that a report should be submitted about setting up of trauma centres at motorway M1 and M2. Similarly, the establishment of trauma centres near GT Road and other important road-networks should be reviewed as well, the CM said.

An awareness programme should be launched about observing traffic rules along with treatment facilities provided in the trauma centres, he added.

The air-ambulance service would be helpful in accidents and the support of philanthropists would be welcomed, he added. A 13-member committee was constituted under the chair of Dr Tahir Ali Javed for setting up modern trauma centers and air-ambulance.

Dr Tahir Javed also gave a briefing about the salient features of trauma centers and air-ambulance service. Housing plan: Usman Buzdar has directed for expediting work on the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme.

Presiding over a meeting at his office here on Wednesday, the chief minister said construction of five million houses was a flagship project of the PTI government which would fulfill the dream of low-income families. He said that the scope of the programme would be expanded to other cities of the province in phases. In the first phase, houses would be constructed in Lodhran, Chishtian and Renala Khurd while Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha and Chiniot will be included in the second phase, he said. He said that foundation stone of the first phase of Naya Pakistan Housing Programme would be laid soon as providing shelter to the shelter-less was the PTI''s manifesto. Earlier, the CM was told in a briefing that identification of new sites in Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Bhakkar and Lahore was going on.