LAHORE-The Punjab government on Wednesday claimed to have saved Rs 3 billion in the operation contract of Lahore Metro Bus which it said was 20 per cent less given during the tenure of previous government.
“Under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, the transparent policies of the government have yielded the benefit of more than Rs 3 billion to the national exchequer”, said an official handout issued at the end of  a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister.
The official release further stated that the Punjab government had set a new example by saving billions of rupees in the bid of operating Lahore Metro Bus System. “The investors have expressed confidence over the transparent business-friendly policies of the PTI government.  
A bid of Rs304 billion is given in the tender of operating Lahore Metro Bus System in the incumbent government. 
This bid is 20 percent less than the bid given in the previous tenure of Shehbaz Sharif”, it claimed, adding that this will also reduce the cost of subsidy given to the metro bus service. “If the current bid is compared in terms of dollars, the latest bid is 40 per cent less than the previous government. And the payment will not be made in foreign currency as investors are local”.
In this regard, the 14th meeting of Punjab Masstransit Authority was held under the chair of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at CM Office on Wednesday which gave approval to the operation and maintenance contract of Metro Bus Service.
Contract winning company will also introduce Euro-III buses. 
The meeting also approved retendering of the security and safety services contract of Metro Bus Service.
Moreover, approval of granting the contract of cleanliness arrangements of Orange Line Metro Train to the Lahore Waste Management Company was given. The LWMC will also look after the cleanliness of the Metro Bus system.
Addressing the meeting, the CM said that the Orange Line  Metro Train will be operational soon. Punjab cabinet has approved Rs40 as the fare of Metro Train. “It is due to the transparent policies of the PTI government that Rs3 billion have been saved today and the government will save as much as Rs300 billion tomorrow”, he maintained. 
The PTI government, he said, treated national kitty as the sacred trust of the nation.
Provincial Transport Minister Jehanzeb Khan Khichi, MPAs including Ijaz Khan, Mian Tariq Abdullah, Saadia Sohail Rana, Managing Director Punjab Masstransit Authority, secretaries of finance, transport, information departments, General Manager (Operations) Punjab Masstransit Authority and others attended the meeting.