LAHORE - The PTI government, led by PM Imran Khan, has launched a universal health insurance programme from Layyah on Wednesday as it has been commenced from seven districts of DG Khan and Sahiwal divisions to provide free treatment facilities to 48 lac families.
As many as 11 million persons will benefit from the scheme as every family will be entitled to free treatment up to Rs 0.725 million every year. In addition to this, five days’ medicine and the fare will also be given to the patients. This is an avant-garde initiative with no resemblance to giving free treatment facilities to every citizen.
Also, PM Imran Khan laid the foundation stone of a mother & child hospital costing Rs5.73 billion in Layyah. According to a handout issued from DGPR, while addressing the ceremony held in connection with the Universal Health Coverage Programme and the launch of development schemes in Layyah on Wednesday, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said that under Naya Punjab basic health unit solarisation program, 36 BHUs were being converted to solar energy in Layyah.
“Two development schemes have been inaugurated including Layyah city’s beautification and road infrastructure project costing Rs30 crore and construction of 28 kilometre-long Roads under Naya Pakistan Manzalain Asaan Program which has been completed with Rs38.20 crore”, he said. Similarly, he added, the foundation stone of three projects costing 1.5 billion has also been laid. He further stated that Rs670 million will be spent on the dualization of Layyah-Chowk Azam Road while Rs590 million had been approved for ten development schemes in Layyah. The CM said Rs400 million will be spent on the repair of farm-to-market roads.
He affirmed that Layyah will be brought at par with big cities to remove public deprivations.
He said the district development package worth Rs13.80 billion had been designed for Layyah to ensure composite development. “This includes a mother & child hospital of Rs5.73 billion and 63 development schemes as well. Currently, 910 development projects are underway with an amount of Rs21 billion”, the CM said.
He announced to elevate Bahauddin Zakariya University Bahadar Campus to the level of a university. He said the Higher Education Department has been directed about the University of Layyah Act and Rs300 million will be provided as well.
The CM also announced a boys degree college at Amiruddin Wala and six girls colleges estimating Rs75 crore.
Similarly, 367 Layyah schools will be upgraded and six development schemes will be completed with Rs77 crore, he said.
Five health projects will be completed with Rs39 crore and a trauma centre will also be constructed at THQ Chowk Azam. A dental ward will be built at DHQ hospital Layyah and a children’s ward will be established at THQ Kehrore Pakka, he added. The BHUs of Warrah Saharan and Bhagal will be upgraded, he further said.
The CM also announced the establishment of five Rescue 1122 centres at Chowk Azam, Fatehpur, Kot Sultan, 82 Morr and Dhori Adda with Rs9.90 crore. Meanwhile, Rs20 crore will be spent on Layyah city’s beautification schemes and insaf sports fields will be developed in Layyah city, Kehrore Lal Essan, Jumman Shah and Chobara with Rs2.65 crore, he added.
He said the Layyah jeep rally will be made a sports calendar event to encourage local tourism and Rs3 crore are allocated for the Safari.
The CM announced that a 200 kilometres long 12 roads development project will be completed with Rs2.72 billion including a 30-kilometre long Layyah-Kehrore road.
He appealed to the PM to direct NHA for the dualization of the Mianwali-Muzaffargarh Road. He said the 204-kilometre long Layyah-Shorkot-Chichawatni Road will be built with ADP’s assistance and work will be started from next financial year with a cost of Rs29 billion.
The CM expressed the satisfaction that the PTI government had resumed work on the greater Thal canal project lying pending for 13 years and Rs1.5 billion have been transferred to the collector’s account for land acquisition. “This will irrigate 17.34 lac acre land in Khushab, Layyah, Bhakkar, Jhang and Muzaffargarh. The 72-kilometre long canal system from Chobara Branch will irrigate 2.94 lac acre land”, he said.
He went on to say that arazi centres were being set up at 23 Qanoongoi levels in Layyah.
The 20-acre land is earmarked for Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme in Layyah and the balloting process has been completed, he further said.
The CM said a 100-megawatt solar power project will soon start working in Chobara to include 188 million units in the national grid. “Its rate will be 3.7 cent per dollar which is minimum in the solar sector”, he said.
Along with it, the CM added that South Punjab’s biggest industrial estate will be established in Chobara tehsil. He appreciated the setting up of South Punjab Secretariat adding that the number of departments was being increased.
“The Foundation stone of the new South Punjab Secretariat building has been laid in Multan while the foundation stone of the South Punjab Secretariat building will also be laid in Bahawalpur soon.
It is important to note that a 33 per cent budget has been provided to South Punjab. South Punjab has started its journey towards development and we will achieve the destination”, concluded the CM.
Sindh government’s attitude over water distribution unjustified: CM
OUR STAFF REPORTER
LAHORE
The Sindh government’s attitude over water distribution is unjustified and any politics over it is beyond national interest because the whole country is facing water scarcity.
Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar said this in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister stressed that Punjab is not getting more than its share adding that Sindh had not served the country by politicising the issue. “In fact, there was no brouhaha when Sindh was continuously provided water during the sowing of crops. Raising objections by Sindh is improper when crops are being sown in Punjab,”he maintained, adding that Punjab had all the rights to use its water share according to the prevailing needs. , “Water is not a political but a technical issue that can be resolved through mutual consultations. It is improper to do politics over the water issue and we condemn leveling pointless allegations”, he said.
Parliamentarians call on Usman Buzdar in Layyah
Parliamentarians including MNAs Abdul Majeed Khan Niazi, Malik Niaz Ahmed Jhakkar, Provincial Minister Dr Akhtar Malik, SACM Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, MPAs Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh, Muhammad Tahir Randhawa, Sardar Shahab Uddin, Syed Rafaqat Ali and others called on Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar at Circuit House Layyah on Wednesday.
They welcomed the launch of the universal health coverage programme from Layyah saying that it will provide free, quality treatment facilities to the common man.
The CM assured to resolve the constituency related problems adding that genuine issues will be resolved at any cost and no one will be allowed to create any hurdle in this regard.
“Today is an important occasion when a historic step has been taken to facilitate the disfranchised strata. The universal health coverage programme has started from Layyah and every citizen will be provided with this facility by December this year”, he observed, and added that the progress had reached a remote city like Layyah and a development package valuing billions of rupees had been chalked out for this district. The CM regretted public deprivations were intensified due to neglecting Layyah in the past and people were befooled with empty slogans. The government will continue to spend resources for the development of neglected areas, he said.
Chief Secretary, IG Police, Commissioner DG Khan, ACS (South Punjab) and Additional IG (South Punjab) were also present.