China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa called on Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office on Friday and discussed different matters including progress made on CPEC related projects.
Both agreed to expedite the pace of work on CPEC projects. Talking on this occasion, Usman Buzdar said that establishment of CPEC Authority was a good step of Prime Minister Imran Khan adding that this would help to speed up the CPEC projects. CPEC was being moved forward in the real sense during the incumbent government and complete cooperation will be continued for early completion of CPEC projects in Punjab, he added.
The chief minister said that special economic zones were being established to promote investment and industrialization and added that this project has been started in Faisalabad on an area spanning over thousands of acres. An investment to the tune of billions of dollars would be made in the province due to the establishment of SEZs, he added.
Meanwhile, special incentives have been given to the investors and the government wants to develop Punjab as a hub of trade and economic activities, added Usman Buzdar.
The chief minister said that instructions have been issued for early start of Orange Line Metro Train as it would help the daily commuters to benefit from the facility of urban transport. He reiterated that China is a very trustworthy friend of Pakistan and added that Chinese cooperation for the progress of Pakistan is praiseworthy. He emphasized that CPEC will boost up economic activities in the region to generate colossal job opportunities. CPEC was a game-changer initiative which will pave the way for prosperity of the country. Completion of this wonderful project was a collective responsibility of all of us, he concluded.
Punjab Minister for Labor and Human Resource Anser Majeed Khan called on Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at CM’s House today. Divisional Chairman CMIT Sargodha Hasan Inaam Paracha was also present on this occasion. Matters regarding initiatives taken for the betterment of Labour and Human Resource Departments were discussed during the meeting.
CM TAKES STRICT NOTICE OF NEWS ABOUT THE INCREASE IN FLOUR PRICE: CM Usman Buzdar has taken strict notice of a news item aired on the media regarding the unnecessary increase in flour price in some districts of the province and directed to take immediate administrative measures for stabilizing the flour prices. He directed to immediately remove the Food Department officers involved in irregularities and negligence from duties. Usman Buzdar said that he will not tolerate the unnecessary increase in flour price at any cost. On the strict instructions of Chief Minister, Punjab Food Department has initiated crackdown and took action against 376 flour mills and imposed an overall fine of Rs9 crore and 6 lac and suspended the license of 15 flour mills along with suspending the quota of wheat of 180 mills.
USMAN BUZDAR TAKES PRACTICAL STEPS TO CUT CMO EXPENDITURES: On the direction of CM Buzdar, several steps have been taken to curtail the expenditures of CM Office. Rs 6.29 crore were spent on repair of vehicles of CM Office in 2016-17 and Rs 4.24 crore were spent in 2017-18 for the same purpose but only 2 crore and 93 lakh rupees was spent in the tenure of Usman Buzdar for repair of vehicles in 2018-19. Meanwhile, only 71 lakh rupees have been spent on vehicles’ repair in the first six months of the current financial year.
Similarly, C&W Department spent Rs 2.36 crore on repair and maintenance of CMO in 2016-17 and incurred an expenditure of 2.85 crore rupees in 2017-18 on the same purpose. It spent 2.30 crore rupees in 2018-19 and incurred an expenditure of 54 lakh rupees till January 2020 in current financial year.
