CM Usman Buzdar lays foundation of Punjab LG Academy

LAHORE:Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of Punjab Local Government Academy in Johar Town and launched the website of Punjab Intermediate Cities Improvement Investment Programme.

This project would be completed through the financial support by the Asian Development Bank. The chief minister appreciated the establishment of Punjab Local Government Academy and said the purpose of this project was to strengthen the local bodies system. Public representatives and local government officials would be trained in this academy and the Local Government department would be promoted according to the needs of the modern era, he added.

Secretary Local Government briefed that the project would be completed at a cost of Rs1.86 billion in 18 months period. The academy would consist of two basements and six floors along with spacious car parking facility.

The annual income of around Rs40 million would be earned through the rent of first and second floors while Rs2 billion would be earned as rent during the next 20 years, he added. A library would also be established along with facilities like a classroom, a hostel for 55 guests, seminar hall, auditorium and a computer lab.

The necessary environmental issues like air quality and voice level tests would also be taken care of in the construction of Punjab Local Government Academy. The latest research facilities would be provided in addition to the installation of solar energy, he added.

nepotism: Chief Organiser of PTI Saifullah Khan Niazi and other leaders called on Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office here Tuesday.

Talking on this occasion, Usman Buzdar emphasised that professionals would have to be brought forward to ensure good governance and reiterated that the government wanted to resolve people’s problems at their doorsteps and party workers should support the government in this regard.

He made it clear that the menace of political nepotism had come to an end and only professionals would be accommodated in boards and committees. The chief minister said that reconstitution of Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) board was being reviewed and a foolproof mechanism of students' monitoring would also be devised in the Punjab Education Foundation.

Usman Buzdar said the Insaf Imdad Programme would be got rechecked by providing lists to the elected representatives in Punjab and informed that around 30 million needy people would be benefited through this programme.

On this occasion, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid told the chief minister that around Rs1.8 billion had been spent on corona control and added that most of patients admitted to the field hospital at Expo Centre had gone back to their homes after recovery.

The death rate in Punjab was less than other provinces, she added. Schools Education Minister Dr Murad Raas said that investigation of more than 290,000 bogus students were in progress in the Punjab Education Foundation.

Senior Vice-President Arshad Daad, Deputy Secretary General Umer Farooq, Provincial Secretary for Good Governance Ijaz Minhas, head of CM's complaint cell Zubair Niazi and others were also present.