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CM Usman Buzdar orders speedy work on uplift projects

By Our Correspondent
January 22, 2020

LAHORE:Chief Minister Usman Buzdar chaired a meeting here on Tuesday to review six-month progress on the provincial Annual Development Programme (ADP).

The meeting was told that ADP’s total volume was Rs 350 billion and Rs 42 billion was allocated for public-private partnership-based projects. An amount of Rs 183 billion was released till January 17, 2020, and different provincial departments utilised Rs 106 billion on different ADP schemes. Planning and Development Department of Punjab (P&D) has accorded approval to 85 schemes during last 45 days.

The CM directed the authorities concerned to expedite work on ADP projects, and provincial departments should get their schemes approved by January 31, 2020. Any departmental delay in this regard would not be tolerated, he warned.

Usman Buzdar said that mega projects were being started through public-private partnership (PPP) to expedite economic development, besides provision of necessary facilities to people. He directed for ensuring timely utilisation of ADP funds and observed that an effective monitoring system was imperative in this regard.

“The ADP targets must be achieved at any cost and action will be initiated against departments failing to achieve their targets. I want practical steps instead of paperwork and the departments failing in timely utilize their development funds will be answerable as we being public representatives are answerable to the people," he added.

The CM warned that difference between ground situation and file work would not be tolerated anymore and officers would have to do field work and monitor the ADP progress.

education: Usman Buzdar on Tuesday said the capacity of different departments was being enhanced through latest technology for improving their service delivery.

He said the Punjab government had started working on eight new universities while five technical institutes were also being set up to empower the youth through skills-based education. He expressed these views while talking to National University of Technology (NUTECH) Rector Lt-Gen (retd) Khalid Asghar at his office. The chief minister said backward areas had been given preference for setting up new institutions, adding the technical universities were also being established in Rawalpindi and other cities. He said technical education syllabus was being revised, mentioning that Mir Chakar Khan Rind University in DG Khan would help change destiny of the youth besides exploring their skills.

No shortage: Usman Buzdar has said wheat flour bags were being supplied in the province at government rates and there was no shortage of flour in the province.

In a statement issued here, the chief minister said that 484 sale points have been set up in different areas of the province, whereas, supply of flour bags was also being made through trucks at 207 points.