LAHORE, Mar 13 (APP):Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq chaired a meeting at the Civil Secretariat on Thursday to review the progress of a program aimed at providing municipal services in selected villages.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed Mian, Special Secretary Asia Gul, and Punjab Rural Municipal Services Company (PRMSC) CEO Asadullah, who briefed the participants.
Minister Zeeshan Rafiq announced that, with World Bank support, 1,802 villages across 16 tehsils will be upgraded in the program’s first phase. A needs assessment survey has already been conducted, and model municipal services have been introduced in 200 villages.
The minister highlighted that the projects will focus on water supply, sewage systems, and paved streets in underdeveloped villages. The selected tehsils for the first phase include Bahawalnagar, Khairpur Tamewali, Kahrore Pakka, Shujaabad, Alipur, Taunsa Sharif, Liaquatpur, Rojhan, Kallar Kahar, Noorpur Thal, Esakhel, Kot Momin, Darya Khan, Bhuana, Ahmedpur Sial, and Pakpattan.
The minister instructed the PRMSC to shift to an e-tendering system immediately, directing the Special Secretary to liaise with the relevant authorities. He also emphasized that following the launch of the Suthra Punjab program, the solid waste management component should be removed from the rural development project, as sanitation is already arranged in every village. PRMSC will continue to oversee sanitation in the villages under its jurisdiction.
