CM Usman Buzdar orders flour availability at fixed rate

LAHORE:Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Thursday directed the food department and the administration to take every step for ensuring availability of flour at a fixed rate within 24 hours.

The chief minister made it clear that hoarders would not be allowed to exploit the people on sale of flour at an excessive rate. Action would be initiated against those involved in overcharging, he warned and said he would not tolerate any delay in the provision of flour to people at a fixed rate after the release of government wheat to flour mills. The chief minister directed that the government decisions should strictly be implemented and administrative machinery should fulfil its responsibility against hoarders.

Virus spread: Usman Buzdar Thursday said that the government by undertaking effective measures had curbed the spread of coronavirus pandemic to a great extent and 51,450 patients had recovered from the infection so far in the province.

He said this while chairing a meeting at the CM office here in which recommendations with regard to ascertaining priorities of development projects of the health department came under review.

Usman Buzdar emphasised that the government had put foremost focus on the improvement of health department in Punjab and significant increase had been made in the health budget in the coming fiscal year.

He disclosed that five mother and child hospitals were being constructed in the province, including Lahore. He said the priorities of health department should be ascertained keeping in view the people’s needs and provision of best health facilities should be ensured in the deprived and backward areas of Punjab.

Usman Buzdar was apprised that record corona tests had been conducted in Punjab and 9,587 tests had been conducted in the past 24 hours. He said the total number of patients in Punjab was 84,587 and 988 new patients had come to surface in the past 24 hours while 26 persons died due to the pandemic.

The CM commended that the services being rendered by the doctors, nurses and paramedical staff on the front line were praiseworthy and appreciable. He directed the health department to undertake steps with continuity to bring further improvements in the treatment of patients.

Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, chief secretary, secretaries of finance, specialized healthcare & medical education, P&D, primary & secondary healthcare and concerned officers attended the meeting.

flood: Punjab Minister for Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Mian Khalid Mehmood called on Chief Minister Usman Buzdar Thursday and briefed him about the arrangements made for combating possible flood threats.

The chief minister said that district emergency plans should be devised and the PDMA should ensure effective arrangements to cope with any situation. Usman Buzdar said he was also visiting various districts himself to review the flood-related arrangements made by the PDMA.

He said that the district committees should be reactivated and regular meetings be held to review the field situation. He directed that the weather situation should be shared by the PDMA with the line departments and an early flood warning system should be kept fully activated.

notice: Usman Buzdar has sought a report from CCPO Lahore about an incident of girl's molestation in the Staff Colony area of Satukatla and directed to provide best treatment facilities to the girl. She will be provided justice at every cost, he added. A case has been registered and police have arrested the criminal.