Buzdar okays mega uplift projects

LAHORE: Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Standing Committee on Finance and Development to review the pace of progress on development projects.

Besides giving approval to establishment as well as upgrade of several hospitals, the meeting also approved to establish a directorate of drug control to regulate the manufacturing and standard of cosmetics and allied issues.

The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht, Industries Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, P&D chairman and the secretaries of finance, housing, local governments and special healthcare and medical education departments and others.

The meeting approved a number of mega projects and also in-principle approved to shift new colleges, universities and hospitals on solar energy to conserve energy. The meeting was told that the transfer of new institutions on solar energy would ensure up to 45 per cent energy conservation.

A new DHQ hospital in Hafizabad will be constructed at a cost of Rs8 billion while the THQ Hospital Nowshera, Khushab district, will be upgraded at a cost of Rs25 crore. Similarly, Rs40 crore will be spent on upgrade of Jaranwala THQ Hospital. The RHC Uch Sharif will be converted into a 60-bed hospital while the meeting also approved upgrade of Pattoki THQ Hospital and establishment of a trauma centre at a cost of Rs21 crores.

A surgery ward will be constructed in Chunian Hospital at cost of Rs13 crores while Rs7 crore will be spent on building an emergency ward in Lalamusa Hospital. THQ Hospital Kharian will be upgraded at a cost of Rs19 crores. An amount of Rs37 crores will be utilised for upgrade of Minchinabad THQ Hospital.

One billion rupees were approved for eight different roads in Faisalabad. This approval was given in the backdrop of an announcement made by CM Usman Buzdar during his Faisalabad visit to complete 22 development projects at a cost of Rs14 billion under the district development package.

On the occasion, the participants also in-principle approved establishing dispensaries in Barkhan and Chaghi by the Punjab government as a goodwill gesture at a cost of Rs4 crores. The meeting was told that the Punjab government will spend Rs740million on a general hospital in Turbat.