JAVED YOUNIS
The year 2020 can be rightly termed as the most challenging cycle of this century. The impacts of events that happened will be felt in the coming decades as well. The year 2020 was challenging in administrative, social and cultural aspects. In these testing times, only the timely and correct decisions by efficient and clear-headed leadership could steer the country out of the quagmire.
Measures Under Covid: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Usman Ahmed Khan, the Government of Punjab has taken such timely and positive decisions during Covid-19 pandemic which have started to yield desired results. The economy of the world is witnessing nose-dive, even the most developed countries like the US and the UK etc could not sustain the negative economic aftermaths of Covid-19. Self-proclaimed “shining” India also gone down where prevalence and mortality rate of Covid-19 is highest among South Asia. Indian economy is collapsed and Hindu supremacist Modi regime is in doldrums but by the grace of Almighty Allah, Pakistan especially Punjab has successfully managed to curtail the damage in time. Preventive measures taken to counter the second spell of COVID-19 are keeping the situation under control and the policy of avoiding non-friendly and anti-public decisions is proving to be positive.
In the year 2020, the provincial government led by Sardar Usman Buzdarremained committed and strived for the facilitation of the masses. In the first wave of Covid-19, Punjab took the lead and emerged as a guide for other provinces. During the same period, under CM InsafImdad Program, 1.7 million deserving families were given financial aid worth Rs 1.25 billion. Establishment of corona wards in hospitals, provision of medical equipment, quarantine centres, isolation centresetc could only be possible owing to the continuous monitoring and clear directions of the chief minister. Despite serious threats, Usman Buzdar visited different cities to examine the arrangements being made for the protection of the general public and cure of Covid-19 patients. In Covid-19 pandemic, Usman Buzdar proved himself to be worthy of the office of Chief Minister Punjab. He truly emerged as “WasimAkram Plus.”
Usman Buzdar set unprecedented traditions in the year 2020. Contrary to the past, the Buzdar Government did not stop funding the unfinished development projects of the previous government. It is worth mentioning that Rs. 1300 billion were required to complete the unattended projects of the previous government. Orange-Line Metro Train Project was one of those incomplete projects of the past which have been completed for the facilitation of the masses.
CM Punjab Usman Buzdar set a new precedent by incorporating the suggestions of all the MPAs of Punjab in the formulation of annual development schemes. Besides, all the MNAs/MPAs of every division were invited for exclusive meetings to seek their suggestions/recom-mendations. Meetings with MNAs/MPAs of Faisalabad, Sargodha and Multan Division were held on February 03, February 04 and February 11 respectively wherein immediate orders were issued in the light of their suggestions/recommendations for the development schemes. On 19th February, 2020 MNAs/MPAs and officers of administration called on the CM Punjab. Projects including Model Police Stations, cleanliness drive and construction/renovation of roads were approved. On 20thFebruary, parliamentarians of Bahawalpur.
The division presented their suggestions and highlighted issues of their areas. Various development projects were approved including the construction of the overhead bridge, underpass, bridge, and connecting roads.
MNAs/MPAs of Lahore and Sahiwal divisions met the CM Punjab on 26th February wherein they presented their suggestions/recommendations. Projects like Chichawatni Special Zone, Lahore Ring Road, Southern Loop-III etc were approved. MNAs/MPAs of DG Khan Division held a marathon meeting in March. Whereinflood protection embankment, construction/rehabilitation of Muzaffargarh-Alipur Road, Layyah University, Rojhan Girls College, QanoongoiArazi Center, new parks and schemes like water filtration plant were approved.
To gauge the ground realities, Mr.Buzdar made more than 54 visits to the big and small cities of Punjab. On January 4, the CMvisited Mianwali, WaanChachran and Sargodha, besides visiting the police station and BHU in WaanChuchran. He also visited Tehsil Headquarter Hospital and a police station in Jaranwala, Thalassemia and Bone Marrow Transplant Center in Bahawalpur and paid a surprise visit to Koh-e-Suleman followed by addressing EhsasKafalat ceremony in Layyah to observe the exact position of the facilities being extended to the public. The provincial government during last year has initiated scores of projects which would result in mitigating the problems of masses to the optional level.
HEALTH:Under the stewardship of CM, the provincial government has increased budget of Health Sector to 15 %. 5 Mother & Child Hospitals are being established in Punjab including a 600-bedded hospital at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Lahore. Universal healthcare program is being introduced wherein, 7 million families would be given SehatInsaf Cards. Scores of development projects in different sectors are being completed with fast pace.
Construction of an institute of cardiology is underway in Dera Ghazi Khan. A 1000-bedded general hospital is also being built on Ferozpur road Lahore in which 600 beds will be allocated for general patients, 200 for cardiac patients while 200 beds would be allocated to blood-related diseases. This hospital would be built on LDA’s 124 Kanal land, near Arfa Karim Tower. This project would costRs. 9 billion rupees of which the summary has been approved. Work on mother and child care block in Sir Ganga Ram hospital is in progress which will be completed at the cost of Rs.4 billion. Children hospital has been declared University of Child Health Sciences and would be completed at the cost of Rs4 billion. The Department of Radiology has been established in Services Hospital Lahore of which 95 % of work has been completed. 225 beds have been allocated for this department. This project is completed at the cost of Rs232 billion. Punjab Institute of Neuro Sciences phase ii would be completed at the cost of 2.35 billion. Nishtar-ii projects are near completion in Multan. The district headquarters hospitals including Jhang and Toba Tek Singh are being upgraded.
Similarly, tehsil headquarters hospitals including Samundri, Malakwal are also being upgraded. Tehsil headquarter hospitals are being built in Fort Monro and Malakwal. 10 years health strategy has been introduced in Punjab for the very first time. Most importantly, doctors and paramedical staff of health department are being vaccinated with Covid vaccines in order to protect them from this pandemic.
EDUCATION: Education is on the top priority of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s manifesto. Various steps have been taken in the education sector including Punjab literacy and non-formal basic education policy 2019, Punjab special education policy, Punjab Private Educational Institution Ordinance etc. For the very first time, through E-transfer policy, the transfer policy of teachers has been introduced and made transparent missing. Facilities have been upgraded in 1227 schools which is unprecedented. Because of Insaf afternoon schools program rate of drop-out students started decreasing.
9 new special education centres including special education degree colleges in Sargodha and DG Khan are also being established. 42 new degree colleges have been established across the province. 9 new universities including the University of Layyah, University of Bhakkar, University of Chakwal, University of Mianwali, Kohsar University Murree, Thal University Bhakkar, Rawalpindi Women University, Institute of Information Technology Rawalpindi and Baba Guru Nanak University Nankana Sahib are being planned to be built. Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has the vision to build a university in every district of the province. Reforms have been introduced in the Danish school system and most importantly, the historic decision has been taken to make Urdu medium of instruction at primary school level.
POLICING: The hiring of 10,000 police officials, procurement of 1200 new police vehicles, the establishment of model police stations, allotment of land and construction of new buildings for new police stations, installation of CCTV cameras and establishment of police training college are such initiatives which can’t be overlooked. 1468 posts of senior traffic assistant and traffic assistants are being filled. Murky and obsolete jail system of the province is being revamped.
Libraries and adult education centres are being built in 32 jails. Attention is being paid to impart religious and technical education and training along with other facilities to inmates. The complaint box is installed in every jail. It would be unpair it project of national importance.
SAFE CITY: The Safe Cities Authority’s system in Lahore is not only being upgraded but also expanded further to other big cities like Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Dera Ghazi Khan.
WATER SECTOR: Under Punjab AAB PAK Authority, Rs2.5 billion have been allocated to install 820 water filtration plants and similarly, first time with the help of community 1,25,000 toilets were built and 70,000 toilets built by the government.
INDUSTRIAL SECTOR:Planning of 13 special economic zones in Punjab is the hallmark of PTI-led governmentAllama Iqbal Industrial Park has already been inaugurated while Quaid-e-Azam Business Park and other projects are in developing phases. Under the Punjab Employment Scheme, small traders and industrialists wereprovided with loans worth Rs. 36 billion. Moreover, TEVTA is imparting technical education to provide skilled force to industrial sector.
After establishment of Public Private Partnership Authority Sheikhupura-Gujranwala Road, Lahore Ring Road and SL3 projects are being initiated. Similarly, a project of water meters will also be initiated in Lahore. In total, 13 large scale projects are initiated under Public Private Partnership Authority.
It is important to mention that, under the business registration portal of the Punjab government, more than 10,000 businessmen have registered themselves to receive numerous benefits as government payments are made online.
IRRIGATION: With the completion of Jalalpur canal project, more than 160,000 acres of land would be irrigated while the Greater Thal Canal Chobara Branch would irrigate 294,000 acres of land. Restoration projects of Tarimmu and Panjnad are near to completion which would make water available for nearly 100 years to irrigate agricultural land. To make drinking water available, small dams are being built in Pothohar and Koh-e-Sulaiman regions. Docha Dam in Rawalpindi is also near to completion. Drip irrigation project has been introduced as well to save clean water under surface.
Increase in support prices of sugarcane and wheat is the landmark initiative of this present regime. The government ensured 99.9 % to payments of sugarcane farmers for the first time. Moreover with the increase in support price of wheat our farmers would not only grow prosper but would enable government to achieve target of wheat to the optional level in the province. To facilitate the farmers and reduce the production cost, modern agricultural technology is being introduced in Punjab. Silos are also being made to store excess stocks of wheat for future use.
Punjab government has introduced various programs and projects and completed many projects.
