CPEC to improve economy: CM Usman Buzdar

LAHORE:Chairman CPEC Authority Lt-Gen (Retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa called on Chief Minister Usman Buzdar at his office and discussed progress made on CPEC projects in the province. Both agreed to expedite work on CPEC projects and decided to give a priority focus to agri research alongwith the need for introducing new seeds for improving crops productivity.

Speaking on the occasion, the CM expressed satisfaction that work is being carried out on CPEC projects on priority. The completion of CPEC projects will help improve the economy, he maintained.

CPEC projects situated in Punjab are being completed with speed and transparently, he added. The CM said the test-run of the orange line metro train has been completed and it has been planned to operationalise it by the end of the next month. The Punjab Masstransit Authority has been issued instructions and tree transplantation and beautification of the route is being done as well, he said.

Chairman CPEC Authority said the CPEC projects are being completed speedily as CPEC is vital for the country. The situation of CPEC projects is satisfactory in Punjab and the province also has a lot of potential in the agriculture sector, he added.

uplift funds: Usman Buzdar chaired a meeting at 90-SQA in which he was briefed about the progress made on the annual development programme-2020-21. The CM directed timely utilisation of development funds, adding speed of work should be accelerated on development projects and ongoing schemes should be completed on priority.

He said separate funds have been allocated for south Punjab and its ADP will also be evolved separately. The funds reserved for south Punjab will not be transferred to anywhere else, he added. The land has been allocated for the establishment of south Punjab secretariat with an amount of Rs 4 billion, he added.

education system: Higher Education Minister Raja Yasir Humayun and MPA Sardar Aftab Khan called on Chief Minister Usman Buzdar at his office and apprised him about the initiatives taken for the promotion of higher education.

The CM expressed satisfaction that solid steps have been taken for the promotion of higher education and vowed a university will be set up in every district. People will be provided with opportunities to access quality higher education near their homes, he added.

The CM regretted that the education system was used for personal projection in the past and no attention was paid to prove higher education opportunities to remote hinterlands. It is satisfying that new universities are being established and the higher education system is synchronised with the needs and requirements of the modern era, he said.

It is sanguine that the incumbent government has opened the doors of higher education to the students of backward and neglected areas by opening new higher education institutions there; the CM said.

streetlights: Usman Buzdar has reprimanded the Lahore Metropolitan Corporation (LMC) over dysfunctional streetlights in the city and other problems and directed the LMC to improve its performance.

Meanwhile, Chief Municipal Officer of LMC Ali Bukhari has been removed from his post for showing negligence. The CM has also taken notice of the same problem at some stations of Lahore metro bus service and directed the Punjab Masstransit Authority to keep the lights functional.

Usman Buzdar said a line of action has been devised to solve the problems of the citizens. "I will regularly monitor progress every month and those performing well will be encouraged while poor performers will be questioned," he mentioned.

notice: Usman Buzdar has sought a report from the Faisalabad RPO on an incident of a girl’s molestation in Chiniot. Meanwhile, police have registered a case and arrested three nominated accused.

Meanwhile, Usman Buzdar has sought a report from Regional Police Officer DG Khan about chopping off the hand of an accused in the precinct of Police Station Shehr Sultan. The CM directed for investigating the matter and take legal action against the responsible.