Punjab government Rs. 173 billion development package for South Punjab
Shares
By Saeed Ahmad Ali
LAHORE: (APP) Approval of mega development projects worth Rs. 173 billion by the Provincial government for southern Punjab would bring prosperity in the area by raising living standard of the people of three southern divisions of the province namely Multan, Bahawalpur and D.G. Khan.
During the current financial year, Rs 173 billion are being spent on development projects in southern Punjab as the provincial government is carrying out these projects on a fast pace.
Member National (Assembly) MNA Owais Ahrmd Lagahri told APP that the Punjab government was working on different projects on priority basis in the southern regions of the province.
"Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif is personally monitoring the ongoing projects", he said.
The recently completed Metro Bus project in Multan was a gift for the people of the historical city, he added. "Now travelling facilities of international standard are available to general public in Multan," he added.
Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif had taken unprecedented initiatives for the welfare of the people of south Punjab, he said.
Bahawalpur Mayor Aqeel Anjum appreciating the economic policies of the provincial government said projects worth billions of rupees in education, health, agriculture and social sectors would improve the quality of services in these sectors.
Providing break-up of the amounts allocated for these projects, a former senior official of the Planning and Development department, Dr Mehmood Khalid Qamar, said that the government had allocated Rs 100 million for Bahauddin Zakariya University, Rs 302 million for the establishment of a women's college in Qadirpur Raan, Rs 33 million for the establishment of a women's college in Muzaffargarh and Rs 12 million for a men's college in Kabeerwala and Rs 277 million were being spent on Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University in Multan.
For up-gradation of infrastructure, the provincial government allocated Rs 1.2 billion including Rs. 240 million for a women protection centre. The project is in the final stage of completion.
Construction of Rescue 1122 centre at Chowk Kumharanwala in Multan and new roads in Dera Ghazi Khan and Vehari were under construction, he added.
He said that the government also earmarked Rs. 44 billion to launch the Safe City Project in six cities of south Punjab. The project would be completed by December 2017, he added.
Advisor to Prime Minister Makhdoom Adeel-ur-Rehman said that due to strong economic policies of the government, national economy had been strengthened and today Pakistan was more secure and developed compared with 2013.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the day is not far when Pakistan's economy will be strengthened,he added.
He said that developmental projects were being accomplished at a fast pace including establishment of Khwaja Farid Engineering Information Technology University, a cadet college, the construction of a bridge on River Indus connecting Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan, up-gradation of the teaching hospital in Dera Ghazi Khan and the establishment of a veterinary university in Bahawalpur.
The government is also planning to computerise record of 374 of 716 police stations in the region. Funds have also been earmarked for specialised units such as the Dolphin Force, an emergency response team and a special protection unit.
Secretary for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education (SHC&ME) Najam Ahmad Shah said that provision best health facilities to the people of the above mentioned areas.
These projects include construction of a District Headquarters Hospital in Multan, establishment of cardiology centre in Rajanpur, construction of a hospital in Layyah, Rs 40 million for renovations at Vehari District Headquarters Hospital and Rs10 million for establishment of a urology ward at the Muzaffargarh District Headquarters Hospital.
Similarly, Rs 80.4 million were being spent on remodelling of Nishtar Hospital in Multan,Rs. 170.9 million project of a residential colony for the staff of Dera Ghazi Khan Medical College and Rs30 million project of establishment of a children's complex in Bahawalpur were allocated, he added.
