Billions allocated for backward areas

CM says 10pc higher quota reserved for South Punjab

LAHORE

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that the Punjab government is following the policy of a balanced development of urban and rural areas and billions of rupees have been allocated for the development of backward areas. 

He said that special attention was being paid to the provision of basic amenities to the masses and 10 percent higher quota had been allocated for the districts of South Punjab under Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Programme.

Presiding over a meeting, here Sunday, which reviewed the pace of public welfare projects in the province, the chief minister said that 10 percent higher quota had been reserved for the development and prosperity of districts of South Punjab in all programmes. He said that similar policy had been adopted for the repair and rehabilitation of rural roads of South Punjab under Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads programme which reflected the policy of a balanced development of the Punjab government. He said that South Punjab and backward areas were being given preference under Saaf Pani Project also and billions of rupees were being utilised for the supply of potable water to these areas. He said that after success of metro bus service in Lahore and Rawalpindi, work was in progress on metro bus project in Multan while construction activities were in progress expeditiously on Orange Line Metro Train Project which was a precious gift of the Chinese government for the people of Pakistan and would change the transport culture.

power: Shahbaz Sharif has said that solid economic policies of the Pakistan Muslim League-N government are yielding positive results and economy has improved while foreign exchange reserves have increased.

He said that all necessary measures were being taken under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for the development of industries, increase in job opportunities and investment besides elimination of energy crisis. He said that work was in progress speedily on a number of energy projects with investment of billions of rupees and thousands of megawatts electricity would be available in 2017-18 with the completion of power projects. Talking to a delegation of the PML-N workers, here Sunday, the chief minister said had the elements giving preference to their personal interests over national interests not created hurdles in development projects through useless sit-ins and protest politics last year, a number of energy projects would have been in the final stages of completion.

He said the aim of the PML-N politics was to serve the people and bring the deprived segments of the society into mainstream of development; therefore, under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, resources had been diverted to the welfare of the poor and uplift of less-developed areas. He said that work was being carried out speedily on coal-based power projects in Sahiwal and powerhouses of 3,600 megawatts to be operated with gas were being established in Punjab. The PML-N workers expressed the confidence that due to the efforts of the PML-N leadership, energy problem would be resolved and the goal of progress and development would be achieved. They said that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was serving the people round-the-clock.