PM inaugurates South Punjab Secretariat in Bahawalpur today

BAHAWALPUR: Prime Minister Imran Khan will arrive in Bahawalpur for a one-day visit today (Wednesday) to inaugurate South Punjab Secretariat.

Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab Capt (retd) Saqib Zafar will brief the PM on the South Punjab Secretariat.

The PM is also expected to announce Bahawalpur-Jhangra Link Road to connect Bahawalpur with M5 Motorway. Later, he will visit the Islamia University of Bahawalpur where he will inaugurate various projects including the National Cotton Breeding Institute, Intercropping Research Centre established with the help of China, 2.5 MW Solar Power project, University College of Nursing, Cricket Stadium and other buildings.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Athar Mahboob will apprise the PM about the performance and development of the varsity, agriculture research and cultivation of Cholistan land by the university's Cholistan Institute of Desert Studies. The PM will also attend a function for the distribution of Kissan Cards to farmers.

Later, he will visit Lal Sohanra for the tree plantation drive. Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Food Security Jamshed Iqbal Cheema will also accompany the PM.

DCC reviews uplift projects: A meeting of the District Coordination Committee (DCC) was held in the committee room of the Deputy Commissioner Office and reviewed 188 development schemes of the Annual Development Programme 2021-22.

According to details, these development schemes have an estimated cost of Rs 16.44 billion. Deputy Director Development Malik Mehboob Elahi Khar told the meeting that in Annual Development Program 2021-22 schemes of development, livestock, water supply, road, school education and health are included.

The meeting also reviewed the District Development Package and megaproject schemes. Under the Community Development Program, work has been started on 242 development schemes. Out of which 154 development schemes have been completed and more than Rs 1.786 billion development funds have been utilised.

The Deputy Commissioner (DC) Bahawalpur asked the officers of departments concerned to complete all development schemes on time and visit the site to monitor the construction work. MNA Makhdoom Syed Sami Hassan Gilani, the DC, District Police Officer (DPO) Bahawalpur Muhammad Faisal Kamran, Deputy Director Development Malik Mehboob Elahi Khar and officers of construction departments were also present in the meeting.

MNA Syed Sami Hassan Gilani said the development schemes should be completed on time.

The DPO said special arrangements would be made for the security of Muharram procession routes throughout the district.