PUNJAB Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif chaired the 24th meeting of the provincial cabinet on Thursday, which approved a record number of agenda items and took several key decisions related to social welfare, security, infrastructure and governance.
The meeting approved free travel facilities across Punjab for differently-abled persons, senior citizens and students; establishment of special investigation units for sexual crimes; construction of airports at Bhakkar and Bahawalnagar and reviewed a proposal for launch of Punjab’s airline.
The latest initiatives clearly show that delivery of services can be improved a lot provided there is will and determination to serve the masses.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is credited for her remarkable performance during the last one year, which is fast transforming the socio-economic landscape of the province as visible from the neat and clean look that almost all urban centres present and upgraded medical and other services in every nook and corner of the province.
The change has come about due to vigilance of the Chief Minister, who pays special attention to the implementation aspects of different programme she launched during the year.
This is also evident from the progress achieved in provision of relief to people under Ramadan package as over 2.56 million households have already received cheques, and 1.5 million families will soon benefit from ration cards.
Punjab is developing a robust transport system and in this backdrop the decision to allow free travel facilities to differently-abled persons, senior citizens and students will come as a great relief for these segments of the society.
The facility will be meaningful, especially for students and their families as they will be saving significant expenditure they presently incur on transport.
Like sugar, chicken and egg prices have also been jacked up unjustifiably by the poultry mafia and with this in view the Chief Minister directed authorities to take effective measures to reduce chicken prices and to ensure strict price control of food items ahead of Eidul Fitr.
As Eid is fast approaching, a prompt action against this mafia is needed to provide relief to the people on this religious festival.
