LAHORE -  An important meeting was held here yesterday with Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair to review matters pertaining to solid waste management and sanitation in rural areas.

The meeting also considered different issues relating to clean drinking water. Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said the Punjab government had developed a mega programme to keep the villages neat and clean. He maintained that this programme was unique and it was being launched for the first time in Pakistan. He said this programme would change the villages and rural hinterlands would be kept neat and clean like cities. He said that villagers would get same facilities of cleanliness that were available in cities. He said that cleanliness system would be devolved up to the level of union council.

The chief minister said that rural solid waste and sanitation programme was the most innovative and public-friendly initiative, which would be furthered as a role model to benefit the people. He said that skilled human resource should be hired for implementation of this programme and added that he would personally supervise it. He said that Rs15 billion had been allocated for this programme in the upcoming financial year. He maintained that a best and efficient solid waste management system would be available in villages through this programme. He said that collective efforts were needed to provide clean environment to people, as “cleanliness in villages as well as cities is our commitment”.

The chief minister said the clean drinking water supply programme would be first launched in southern Punjab. He said this scheme would be launched in all tehsils of southern Punjab. He said that Rs25 billion had been allocated for this programme in the financial year 2017-18. He expressed the hope that implementation of this programme would help eliminate waterborne diseases. He said that this programme would be implemented on a fast track basis by uniting the civic energies. He observed that clean drinking water was one of the fundamental rights of the people. In the Bahawalpur region, he said, 116 water filtration plants were providing clean drinking water to people.

RAMAZAN PACKAGE

Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif said yesterday that best arrangements had been made for buyers in Ramazan bazaars, which had been set up across the province.

He said that no one would be allowed to indulge in profiteering and play with the interests of the people. Availability of quality daily use items at fixed rates has been ensured and indiscriminate action is being taken against hoarders and profiteers, the chief minister said while talking to PML-N legislators here on Tuesday.

Shehbaz said that provision of relief and different facilities to people was agenda of the PML-N. He said that programmes worth billions of rupees had been launched to improve the quality of life of economically deprived segments of the society. These programmes have no parallel in the history, he added. Like previous years, he said, a Ramazan Package had been introduced for people this year too. He said that Rs9 billion Ramazan Package had proved very beneficial for people. He said that Rs8.78 billion subsidy had been given on flour. He said that supply of subsidised flour in green bags had been ensured to market in the holy month of Ramazan so that people could fully benefit from this facility.

The chief minister said he was personally supervising the steps to provide relief to people.

PERFORMANCE REVIEWED

Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over a meeting of the Board of Directors of Quaid-e-Azam Thermal Power Limited Company here yesterday and reviewed company’s performance.

Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said the company had done a good job by setting up Bhikki Gas Power Plant, as billions of rupees had been saved through this project. He said that a technical fault in the turbine of this plant had been rectified and now supply of more than 300 megawatt electricity from this plant had been restored.

He said that a technical fault in the second gas turbine was being rectified. Like other projects of the Punjab government, he said, this project was also a symbol of speedy completion, transparency and quality. This plant is providing cheap electricity to consumers, he added.