CHICHAWATNI - The Punjab government has announced 120 new mega development projects for Sahiwal division in the budget for the current financial year, at an estimated cost of Rs14.18 billion. This was stated by Director Development and Finance Ahmed Khawar Shehzad while giving details of the new projects, here on Tuesday. He said that 45 projects for Sahiwal district would cost Rs6.26 billion, 17 projects in Okara district Rs 908.5 million and 57 projects in Pakpattan district would cost Rs7.24 billion. He said that under the district packages programme of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, most attention had been paid to providing basic amenities of life to people and most of the projects were related to provision of education, health facilities, building playgrounds and improving transportation. He said that Rs2.5 billion had been allocated for the new projects in the current financial year after which work on them would start soon. Deputy Director Ahmad Khawar Shehzad, while giving details of new projects, said that the campus of University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Chichawatni would be allocated Rs2.85 billion initially, Athletic track at Zafar Ali Stadium to be allocated Rs250 million, Harappa underpass to get Rs490 million, reconstruction of Sahiwal Banga Hayat Road to be provided Rs230 million, construction of new building of Fateh Sher Police Station would be carried out with Rs171.4 million, Trauma Centre to be constructed at Chichawatni Hospital with Rs150 million and a shelter home would be built in Sahiwal with Rs100 million, while a special grant of Rs120 million would be provided for Municipal Corporation Chichawatni.

He said that a Trauma Centre at DHQ Hospital Okara and Cardiac Centre at Tehsil Hospital Depalpur would be set up at a cost of Rs100 million each, under new major projects of Okara district.

A dialysis centre would also be set up at Tehsil Hospital Renala Khurd at a cost of Rs150 million. In addition, Rs79.5 million would be spent on the construction of Chuchak police station and Rs22 million on the reconstruction of Head Sulemanki Park.

A wildlife park and zoo in Okara would be set up with an estimated cost of Rs 142.9 million.

Baba Farid University will be set up in Pakpattan district with an initial estimated cost of Rs 2 billion, during the current financial year, while construction of girls colleges in Banga Hayat, Kabula and Nurpur and a boys college in Nurpur are also part of the projects with an initial estimate of Rs 150 million each.

Tehsil Sports Complex will be constructed at Rs 110 million in Arifwala, DHQ Pakpattan will be expanded with Rs 400 million, Rural Health Centre Banga Hayat will be given the status of Tehsil Hospital status with allocation of Rs 300 million, a Trauma Centre will be set up in Nurpur at a cost of Rs 127 million and a Gynecology and Children’s Ward will be expanded at Tehsil Hospital Arifwala at a cost of Rs 30 million.

Ahmad Khawar Shehzad said that on the long standing demand of the people, the Punjab government has included a plan of Rs 400 million for the reconstruction of 8-km road from Pakpattan to Baba Farid bridge on Sutlej River in the budget of the current financial year.

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