Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has said the government has fulfilled the promise of setting up the South Punjab Secretariat and now the locals will not have to visit Lahore for the solution of their issues.
He was talking to Provincial Irrigation Minister Mohsin Leghari who called on him at the CM House and discussed different matters including the creation of more job opportunities for South Punjab and carving out new districts and tehsils.
The CM stated the government has fulfilled the promise of setting up the southern Punjab secretariat and now the locals will not have to visit Lahore for the solution of their issues.
The journey of the development of southern Punjab has begun and it will not stop, he told.
The CM declared that decisions about making new districts and tehsils will be made on administrative grounds and distribution of population and financial resources will also be minutely studied.
The decision about new districts and tehsils will be made on merit and no locality will be ever ignored. He added that Jampur tehsil of Rajanpur district will be taken along in the journey of development.
The minister also apprised the CM about the performance of his department.
CM VISITS KHANKI
HEADWORKS: CM Usman Buzdar visited Khanki Headworks on Wednesday and inspected the arrangements made for dealing with the possible flood.
The chief minister on the occasion stated that line departments have already been alerted while water situation in Jhelum, Chenab and Sindh rivers is constantly monitored. He announced plans to inspect other headworks as well.
The Irrigation secretary told that a 27-km long road has been constructed from Wazirabad to Khanki Barrage besides setting up a vocational training centre, BHU and recreational park.
He also briefed about the latest water situation in different rivers.
The Khanki Headworks was constructed in 1892 and a new Khanki Barrage has been constructed on Chenab River with the assistance of ADB. An amount of Rs21 billion and 30 crores has been spent on the upgradation project.
Up to 11500 cusec water flow would be guaranteed in Lower Chenab Canal round the year along with the continuous supply to 2925 contiguous water channels of 4680-kilometre long irrigation system. This would help to irrigate 3.301 million acre land of Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Jhang, Chiniot, Faisalabad and Toba Tek Singh.
This would benefit more than six lac farmer families and the water flow capacity of the barrage, after up-gradation, has increased from eight lac cusec to 11 lac cusec. This would usher in an era of agricultural prosperity besides proving an important step for safety from the floods.
Provincial Minister Malik Asad Khokhar, ACS (Infrastructure) and others were also present.
