Govt paying special focus on uplift of South Punjab; says FM Qureshi

MULTAN, Jan 07 (APP): Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday said that the incumbent government was paying special focus on the development of South Punjab as billions of rupee projects launched for the improvement of infrastructure.

He said that the government had taken practical steps to end the sense of deprivation in South Punjab and laid foundation stone of mega projects including Nishtar II, mother and child care hospital and other projects.

Qureshi expressed these views while addressing District Coordination Committee (DCC) meeting along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar here at the commissioner office.

SAPM on Political Affairs Malik Amir Dogar, MNAs Ibrahim Khan, Ahmad Hussain Dehar, MPAs Javed Akhtar Ansari, Provincail Parlimentary Secretary on Culture and Information Muhammad Nadeem Qureshi, Saleem Labar, Sabin Gul, Wasif Mazhar Ran, Wasim Khan Badozai, Mian Tariq Abdullah, Zaheer-U-din Alezai, Commissioner Dr Irshad Ahmad, DC Amir Karim Khan and others officials attended the meeting.

The Foreign Minister and other public representatives of the city appreciated the initiatives taken by the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner for betterment of the city.

Qureshi directed the departments to introduce unique initiatives for better image of good governance and to facilitate the masses.

Addressing the meeting, he said that the biggest challenge for the government was inflation and various steps were being taken to address it.

He said that Ehsaas Ration and Ehsaas Kifalat programmes had also been launched to facilitate the masses and to minimize the effects of inflation on public.

He said that health card programme was also a mega programme as Rs1 million health treatment would be provided free of charge to every family without any discrimination.
Addressing the meeting, SAPM on Poverty Alleviation, Dr Sania Nishtar said that more than 38 million families had been registered in new survey and added that Rs12,000 assistance was being provided to eight million families under Ehsaas Kifalat programme.

She informed that the assistance would be extended to Rs13,000 from March 1.
Dr Sania Nishtar said that Ehsaas Kifalat, Ehsaas Scholarship, Ehsaas Ration programmes and others were revolutionary projects to provide relief to the people.

Likewise, registration of Ehsaas ration programme was also underway on which Rs1000 subsidy on flour, pulses and oil or ghee would be provided to 20 million families once in a month through specified keryana stores. Eight percent commission would be given to keryana stores on sale of these commodities.

Giving briefing on the occasion, Commissioner Dr Irshad Ahmad said that practical steps had been taken on cleanliness and beautification plan in the city.

The city’s water purification plants would be activated with the help of private sector. He said that completion of uplift projects across Multan division was main priority.

Deputy Commissioner Amir Karim Khan said that special name plates would be installed at the houses of prominent personalities of fine arts.

He said that complaint numbers had been displayed at all public hospitals and health centres to facilitate the masses.

The monuments were also being constructed at various Chowks of the city with cooperation of private sector.

Aamir Karim Khan said that model roads and flyovers had been adorned with Multani culture.
On this occasion, briefing was given to public representatives on uplift projects.

APP Services