More good news for people: Buffaloes, cows and goats for women, says PM Imran Khan

LAYYAH: Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced to empower women through allocation of domestic animals to them, so that they can support their families and earn a livelihood for them.

He was addressing the Ehsaas Amdan (income) programme launching ceremony in Layyah district on Friday. "For women, we have decided that we will give them one cow, one buffalo and three goats, so that they can run their household [with their produce]," the premier said.

Addressing the gathering, the prime minister said the government had launched the programme — which he described as "the first of its kind" in Pakistan — to alleviate the sufferings of the poorest members of society. Soon people will get more good news about their wellbeing and country’s prosperity, added the premier.

The premier assured the nation that Pakistan’s difficult time was over now, and the country had been put on the right track. He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was making efforts for its vision of formation of an Islamic welfare state on the patron of the state of Medina.

The PM said the PTI government was working on different projects to establish an Islamic welfare state. He said neither he was afraid of death nor defeat. He believed in making his best efforts and then leaving the matter to Allah Almighty, whose all decisions would be acceptable to him.

He said provision of justice and welfare of people are the prime goals of the PTI government and a prerequisite for making the country stable and secure. He said the government was making all-out efforts to empower the downtrodden and financially poor segments of society.

Imran Khan congratulated his special assistant, Dr Sania Nishtar, over her key role in materialising the project. The programme would cover 375 rural union councils in 23 poor of the poorest districts in all the four provinces. While lauding Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Shoaib Dastgir, the PM said that he had directed the top cop to arrest the big fish first. "Nations get destroyed when the influential people go to London and smaller criminals are caught," he added.

Giving details of other initiatives for the most vulnerable, Prime Minister Imran Khan said the poor would be given funds to hire a lawyer for their cases.

"Six million people will be given health cards," added the premier. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony in the Seraiki language, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar announced upgradation of Chowk Sarwar Shaheed town as Tehsil. He said the Punjab government had allocated Rs12 billion for the Ehsaas programme. He said the programme is reflection of vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and a big step towards the establishment of a welfare state.

The CM said 1.8 million people would benefit from the Ehsaas programme directly and 6.4 million others indirectly. He said 375 union councils in 23 districts across the country had been selected for implementation of the programme. Three Punjab districts -- Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah and Jhang -- are part of the Ehsaas program, he added.

The distribution of assets was started in 22 rural union councils of Layyah district. As many as 260 deserving males and females would benefit from the program in Layyah, he added. The deserving people would be provided carts, rickshaws and commodities, cows, buffaloes and goats to earn a livelihood. The Ehsaas programme would accommodate 60 per cent women and 40pc men, the CM said.

Usman Buzdar also announced establishment of an industrial estate in Choubara, an area in Layyah district. He said development work would be done in Layyah district in consultation with members of National and provincial assemblies. He said the Punjab government was taking measures to connect Layyah and Taunsa Sharif with motorway. The reservations and complaints of MNAs and MPAs would be addressed on priority, he added.

The CM said the government was working to establish a forensic laboratory in Dera Ghazi Khan and soon the building work would be completed in that regard. He said the Punjab government was taking measures to establish a divisional public school (DPS) in Layyah and the government was strictly following open door policy in public departments and working to establish university in each district, he said.

Later, Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Muzaffargarh district and inaugurated dual carriageway between Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan.

Former CM Shahbaz Sharif had laid down the foundation stone of double road project. However, the Muzaffargarh district administration removed Shahbaz’s foundation stone and installed new plate of inauguration by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. The project had been completed one year ago, but formal inauguration was done on Friday.

Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospital on the invitation of the Indus Trust administration. He inaugurated 250-bed extension block at the hospital. Private media and journalists were restricted to cover PM’s visits to Layyah and Muzaffargarh as only official media and journalists were allowed.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said the incumbent government was also providing Kifalat cards to ensure maximum benefits to the downtrodden classes in the country. Establishment of Panagahs in the country was another major project of the government which would be expanded across country, he said. The project provides shelter to the poor people, he added.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said 2,000 people would be given interest-free loans and 50,000 youths would be awarded scholarships each year.

He said his government was introducing a system of reward and punishment for teachers to ensure their attendance in schools and improving education standards in the country. He said reforms would be made in the education sector of Pakistan.

He said 180,000 shelter homes had been established and the network was being extended across country. The PM said he had directed the inspector general of police (IGP) for arrest of the most wanted criminals.

Earlier, Dr Sania Nishtar, the architect of the Ehsaas programme, shared the details of the project, which will commence in 375 rural union councils of 23 districts across four provinces of Pakistan.

The programme has set a target of providing around 200,000 assets to deserving households (60% to women and 30% to youth beneficiaries). The scale of the programme will be gradually enhanced based on results.

The programme is complimentary to Ehsaas Kifaalat, operations of which commenced on Jan 31, 2020 and through which the government would provide cash stipend of Rs2,000 to around seven million most deserving women by end of the year.