Practical steps taken for Punjab’s development: CM Usman Buzdar

LAHORE: Federal Ministers Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umer, Shafqat Mahmood, Fawad Chaudhry, chief whip in National Assembly Malik Amir Dogar and Adviser to PM Shehzad Akbar called on Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office here Friday and discussed different matters of mutual interest.

They presented different proposals for public welfare schemes. Chairman P&D, Secretary Finance and Secretary Local Government gave briefings to the participants. Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister emphasised that practical steps had been taken for composite development of the province and assured that no area would remain deprived of development process adding that the authority would be devolved at the grassroots.

Meanwhile, a target has been fixed to complete 1,394 ongoing development projects in the current fiscal year while a tax relief worth Rs56 billion has also been given due to the corona situation, he added. However, the chief minister pointed out that the social sector budget had been sufficiently increased and taxes had been reduced while expanding tax-base. Supplementary grants worth Rs61 billion have been rejected as the province is strictly following financial discipline, he emphasised.

The chief minister maintained that the Punjab government would benefit from the guidance and experience of federal ministers. Punjab has formulated ease of doing business for the construction sector and the ratio of stamp duty has been decreased from 5 percent to one percent.

The chief minister assured that the development work would also be done in the constituencies of MNAs and effective mechanism would be devised for the way forward. The MNAs are my companions as like the MPAs and their due rights will be given to them, he said. The people will be empowered through the new local governments system, the CM added.

Federal Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that organised work would be done for public welfare while Asad Umer said that Punjab and the federal government would work in unison for providing facilities to the people.

Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry stated that devolution of power would help solve public problems at their doorsteps. Shafqat Mahmood said that the government would come up to the people’s expectations in accordance with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Provincial Ministers Raja Basharat, Mian Mahmood-ur-Rasheed, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Aslam Iqbal, chief secretary, ACS (Home) and administrative secretaries attended the meeting.