Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar presided over a meeting to review proposals for implementing the Punjab Municipal Services Programme at his office here on Monday. Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said that a new programme is being started to provide necessary facilities to the people living in rural and urban areas of the province. A huge sum of Rs.27 billion has been allocated for this programme and the rights of the people will be returned back by improving basic facilities. Giving a detail of the programme, he said that cleanliness and sewerage system and provision of clean drinking water will be improved. Similarly, non-functional water supply and sewerage schemes will be restored and necessary machinery will also be procured to improve the cleanliness system. The chief minister said that Punjab Cities Programme will be implemented in collaboration with the World Bank adding that 16 cities have been included in this programme while master planning of 100 tehsil-level cities will be done as well. The chief minister gave approval to need-based recruitments in local government department against vacant posts and directed the department to take immediate steps in this regard.
The chief minister expressed strong indignation over the slow-pace of work in certain public welfare schemes in southern Punjab, especially in DG Khan, and directed that action should be initiated by identifying those showing negligence and lethargy. Dereliction will not be tolerated in public welfare matters; he warned and added that action will be initiated against those responsible for it. Secretary Local Government Dept. briefed about the implementation on Punjab Municipal Services Programme. Provincial ministers Raja Basharat, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Hashim Jawan Bakht, Chief Secretary, Chairman P&D, secretary finance and others attended the meeting.