Minister promises equality in Punjab

LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht Monday promised improvement in the Human Development Indicators in Southern Punjab besides pledging regional equalisation in the distribution of resources in the province.

“We don’t believe in discriminatory treatment, every citizen of Punjab is equally important for us” said the minister in his winding up speech on Punjab Assembly floor in the ongoing budget session.

“The present government isn’t only increasing the budget for South Punjab but also making effective planning under which basic facilities along with economic activities could be ensured” said the minister.

He went on to say that in order to convert social and economical decline into prosperity, the development paradigm was being shifted. Promising ‘regional equalisation’ he said the 35 percent budget for Southern Punjab would be spent on the improvement of health, education, water situation and stated that it would be the first step towards the improvement of ‘Human Development Indicators.’

He said for the first time, an amount of Rs3 billion had been allocated for South Punjab Secretariat while keeping in view the goal of its administrative strengthening and reiterated the commitment to continue working on the legislation required for making it a province. “The greatest problem of Punjab was setting up the priorities what we have done now, now it is the time to act for which unity in our ranks will be a positive sign” he said.