LAHORE A World Bank delegation led by its Country Director in Pakistan Rachid Ben Messaud met Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif at Chief Ministers Secretariat here on Tuesday. Provincial Food Minister Ch Abdul Ghafoor, Member Provincial Assembly Hafiz Mian Nauman, Chairman Planning & Development and Secretary Finance were also present on the occasion, says a handout. Talking to the delegation the chief minister said that Pakistan is passing through the most critical phase of its history and is facing terrorism which is leaving a negative impact on its economy. Highlighting the salient features of the new provincial budget, the CM said that it was a balanced and welfare budget which had been prepared with the consultation of elected representatives, secretaries and experts. He said that solid measures had been taken in the budget for curtailing non-developmental expenditure and promotion of austerity. He said that a worthy example had already been set by reducing non-developmental expenditure by more than Rs 6 billion in the province. The CM said that tax net had been extended in the budget and tax had also been imposed on swimming pools, farmhouses and clubs. He said that tax had been imposed only on those who could afford to pay while no burden had been put on the poor. He said that effective measures had been taken in the budget for the uplift of education and health sectors as well as generation of job opportunities. He said that promotion of education especially vocational education is essential for development, therefore, special attention has been paid in this direction. Referring to the measures taken for the uplift of education sector, the chief minister said that hundred per cent enrolment programme was being implemented in the province and 80 per cent target had so far been achieved. He said that IT labs had been set up in more than four thousand schools while Punjab Educational Endowment Fund had also been established. He said that scholarships were being given from Punjab Educational Endowment Fund to thousands of talented boy and girl students facing financial problems so that they could continue their studies. He said that students were also studying at educational institutions like LUMS, FAST and NUST with the help of these scholarships. Similarly, he said, Punjab Education Foundation is also playing an important role in the development of education sector. He said that Daanish Schools had been established for the poorest boy and girl students in backward areas of the province. Referring to the measures taken in the health sector, the chief minister said that free medicines and dialysis facility had been provided in hospitals. He said that in order to provide modem treatment facilities to the people of remote areas at their doorstep, mobile health units had been imported. He said that six mobile health units had started operating while 50 such units will be imported this year. He said that as the government had limited resources, therefore, it had promoted transparency and good governance in the province and every penny of public money was being utilised in a transparent manner. He said that there was a need for developing indigenous resources for the progress of the country. He said that Punjab government had decided to break the begging bowl and develop its own resources, He said that provincial government did not want aid but trade and requires technical expertise for the development of various sectors. He also commended the cooperation of World Bank for the uplift of different sectors in Punjab. Country Director World Bank Rachid Ben Messaud informed the Chief Minister about the projects being implemented in the province in different sectors with the cooperation of World Bank. He also appreciated the priorities set in the new budget and said that it will leave a positive impact on the development process of the province.