New mega projects to be introduced in Punjab soon: CM Buzdar

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said on Tuesday that the provincial government will introduce new mega projects soon, as well as establish one university in each district across the province, ARY News reported.

CM Usman Buzdar, while speaking on the floor of Punjab Assembly, thanked the lawmakers for attending the crucial session and said that the session was organised outside the assembly’s building for the first time due to coronavirus pandemic.

“Our team has worked with honesty to cope with the challenge of locusts’ attacks on crops while the government dispatched Rs2 billion funds. I have visited 25 districts and tehsils to review the anti-coronavirus and anti-locust arrangements.”

“To fight COVID-19, Punjab has conducted more than 500,000 tests so far and increased more than 9,000 beds in hospitals, whereas, an additional allowance will be awarded to those fighting the pandemic on front line. I had ordered my team to devise budget recommendations based on accurate statistics. We have allocated Rs106 billion for the next fiscal year to fight COVID-19.”

“Punjab government distributed 35 million health cards and approved the appointment of 12,000 doctors. Moreover, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government will establish one university in each district. We are going to introduce new mega projects for Punjab soon.”

In term of expenditures made for the welfare of needy people, Usman Buzdar detailed that Rs65 billion funds had been distributed under Ehsaas programme. The provincial government suffered a financial loss of Rs635 billion due to coronavirus when the province was expected an increase of 20 per cent in term of revenue from the Centre.

“A 23 per cent hike was expected in term of targets of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in March 2020. The present government had given biggest-ever relief package in the history of Pakistan. We will also initiate a mega project in Balochistan.”

Earlier in the PA session, a supplementary budget 2019-20 has been approved by the lawmakers where the provincial government okayed supplementary demands worth over 1 trillion.

Later, the session of the Punjab Assembly was adjourned for an indefinite period.