Minister directs Urban Unit to devise plan for underdeveloped areas in Punjab   

LAHORE: Punjab’s provincial Minister for Finance Hashim Jawan Bakht has urged the Urban Unit to come up with a holistic and sustainable development plan after consultation with local people for underdeveloped areas of the province.

Hashim Jawan Bakht expressed these views while chairing the 2nd meeting of “Yaksaan Punjab Program” at Urban Development Unit to discuss South Punjab’s development projects for the next five years.

The Minister said that selection of any development project in remote areas is subject to need and requirement of that particular region so that such project may prove fruitful and result oriented.

 The meeting focused on Rahim Yar Khan master plan, World Bank’s jobs, cities planning and Punjab spatial strategy.

Initially Urban planning team of the Unit will visit Rahim Yar Khan next week with an aim to do rapid analysis of the present structure in order to propose an integrated master plan for the district inclusive of infrastructure development, industrial zoning, connectivity measures, health and education overview, agriculture and environmental planning, He added.

 Dr. Salman Shah, senior economist and consultant Punjab spatial strategy, emphasized on the need to use CPEC wisely and added that Urban Unit can help in planning for making Pakistan next Factory of the World after China.

CEO’s and the senior team of urban unit presented GIS and MIS based projects and proposals including State Land Information Management System of Punjab and GIS for Land Record Management System. Urban Unit proposed state Land GIS mapping system for all cities of Punjab.

The Unit suggested one single billing system for all properties and services with the assistance of MIS system.

Urban Unit CEO (acting) Salman Javed, CEO and COO (acting) Abid Hussaini were also present in the meeting along with the senior team of the Unit.