LAHORE- The Punjab budget 2009-10 included several promises, which the government failed to materialise in the last budget despite tall claims. Even the Opposition has strongly criticised the govt for its failure to implement the projects of great public interest. However, a PML (N) leader seeking anonymity, tried to justify for the failure stating that the govt could not fulfil most of the promises due to worst political crisis in the province following the disqualification of Sharif brothers by the Supreme Court. Last year, the PML (N)-led govt had pledged to introduce airconditioned bus service for the student in big cities, housing scheme for the poor, generation of 350-megawatt electricity, establish cold storage for perishable commodities in 10 districts and setting up 'Daanish School System to provide best education to the deserving students. But none of these promises could be materialised. The govt in the budget 2008-09, had allocated Rs 160 billion for Annual Development Programme (ADP) but later curtailed the ADP to Rs 152 billion, terming several projects of public interest as unfeasible. The govt had promised to constitute price control board to check overcharging and to safeguard the consumers interests but failed to fulfil this promise as well. The conversion of the CM Secretariat to Women IT University also could not be materialised as the experts termed it impractical. The PML (N)-led govt made another promise in the last years budget and announced to establish Daanish School System in the province and allocated huge amount for this project but the govt could not accomplish this promise. Last year, the Punjab Finance Minister during his budget speech, had announced to provide low-cost houses to low-paid citizens and allocated Rs one billion for this project. The provincial govt had also pledged to earmark Rs 5 billion to equip 4,574 secondary schools with modern computer labs. But no improvement has been witnessed on ground. Infact, the Punjab govt had diverted funds worth Rs 5 billion from its Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the fiscal year 2008-09 meant to finance these projects of great public interests. Among the major programmes that were dropped include free of cost airconditioned bus service for the needy students in the major cities of the province and low-cost housing scheme for the poor. The projects were dropped from the ADP after the experts termed the projects as unfeasible. The govt had earmarked Rs 2 billion for these two projects but did nothing to materialise them, which could have brought laurels for the govt. The govt shelved the project of introduction of a free air-conditioned bus service in seven major cities of the province to facilitate students. The provision of these buses could go a long way in improving the traffic problems that the City witness twice a day, once in the morning when the students go to educational institutions and then in the afternoon when they return to homes. On Tuesday, the Punjab Finance Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira in his budget speech again pledged that the govt would provide subsidy of Rs one billion to the Punjab Govt Servants Housing Foundation besides Rs one billion soft-loans to provide residences to the govt employees at the time of their retirement from service. The Minister also claimed that the govt would distribute 46,555 plots of five-Marla among the homeless families free of cost as 12075-acre piece of land has been identified in the rural areas. He also promised that the govt has fixed Rs 50 million to complete the feasibility of Knowledge City to be established on 800-acre piece of land in the suburb of Lahore. To set up a permanent and autonomous 'Daanish School System and Centers of Excellence Authority, the govt has allocated Rs three billion, he assured. The govt has also launched Water Resource Development Project with the help of local resident to improve water resources and '200 small dams would be constructed under this project, he pledged once again. The govt has also set Rs 4.3 billion for the computerisation of land revenue record besides providing wireless Internet facility in the public libraries and public parks and Rs 50 million would be spent on this programme. The govt has promised to provide Rs one billion subsidy to improve public transport facility in the province and a Chinese firm is interested to provide 200 CNG buses in this regard. Ashraf Javed