LAHORE : The annual development programme, valuing Rs.560 billion, will spur the composite development process in the province. The government would encourage the administration to show good performance while poor performers would be held answerable.
In a statement, Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar reiterated that the ADP will augur well for the development and strengthening of the economy. The people would equally benefit from the fruits of development as the government was committed to providing relief to the citizens, he added. Public’s rights will be protected and artificial price-hike would not be tolerated because public interest was dear to the government, the CM asserted. He termed price-hike a crucial issue and asked the administration to take effective steps to control it. The administration should actively work to ensure the availability of sugar at a fixed rate and no one will be allowed to make a dacoity on public pockets, he continued and directed to continue action against illegal profiteers to ensure the availability of daily-use items at fixed rates.
Alongside, the CM said the PTI-led government has started mega projects to improve the living standard of the people in the provincial metropolis. Different schemes like Shahkam Chowk, Gulab Devi Hospital underpass and Sheranwala Gate overhead bridge would ease the daily movement of the city-dwellers, he maintained. These projects have been designed according to the city needs and public priorities were given importance instead of craving for personal projection, he stated and added that parliamentarians were also consulted to formulate the development programme.
A 66 per cent increase in a period of one year in the development budget shows priorities of the PTI government, the CM maintained and regretted that the people longed-for prosperity as development was only made on papers in the past. Regrettably, the exhibitory projects and wrong policies of the past rulers have had bankrupted the province, he continued. As a result, the PTI, which inherited a devastated economy in 2018, had to make difficult decisions for economic stability and self-reliance. These decisions have yielded positive results and the province of Punjab was moving forward steadily, concluded the CM.