Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan on Thursday claimed that the incumbent PTI government under the Punjab Local Government and Community Department has expedited work on various developmental projects worth billions of rupees.
“Funds amounting to Rs36 billion have been released for nine divisions of Punjab for the financial year 2020-21 and development is being carried out according to the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan under the leadership of Sardar Usman Buzdar for the immediate solution of regional problems and for the public welfare.”
The minister regretted that people were deprived of basic amenities by weakening the local governments and utilization of resources in some specific areas by successive governments. Mr Chohan claimed that the Punjab Intermediate Cities Improvement Investment Program launched at a cost of Rs41 billion is noteworthy in this regard.
Under this program, work will be carried out in selected cities on solid waste, water supply, local government academies, wastewater treatment and smart cities infrastructure. This project will be launched from Sialkot and Sahiwal in the first phase, while Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Muzaffargarh, Multan and Rawalpindi will come in the second phase. The Punjab Cities Program (PCP) is being launched at a cost of Rs36 billion to improve local governments of 16 other cities.
The program, to be completed by June 2021, will improve public parks, streetlights, roads and administration.
This programme also includes increasing efficiency through e-governance in selected cities. The Rs40 billion for the Rural Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Project is also an important announcement by the Punjab government. Under this program, work will be done on the project of provision of potable water through electricity and solar system, sewerage system, tree plantation and water treatment in 1310 villages. In the past, unbalanced policies and unjustified distribution of funds as well as due to urbanization increased the burden on large cities.
