Solid measures have been taken in the new budget to eliminating unemployment from Punjab, Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said on Wednesday. He said besides offering loans to the unemployed youth, 20 thousand yellow cabs would also be distributed and a sum of Rs 4.5 billion has been allocated for this purpose. He said that as a result of negotiations the company supplying the cabs has agreed to provide the vehicles at reduced price and a sum of Rs 4 billion will be saved. He appreciated the efforts of Chief Secretary Punjab Nasir Mehmood Khan Khosa and Secretary Finance Tariq Bajwa in this regard.
He was talking to media-men while inspecting yellow cabs after a meeting of Punjab cabinet at Civil Secretariat. The Chief Minister claimed that like the green tractors scheme, Aashiyana housing scheme and other projects, yellow cabs would also be distributed among deserving persons in a transparent manner. He said that the yellow cabs would be manufactured in Pakistan and as a result of negotiations, the company has agreed to supply the vehicles at reduced price. The Chief Minister also sought views of media-men about the color of yellow cabs who proposed green color for the cabs.
Later, the Chief Minister personally drove a yellow cab to check its standard. Replying to questions of media-men, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and Raza Rabbani are in favour of devolution of ministries to the provinces in the wake of 18th amendment in the constitution but some elements having a non-political thinking are creating hurdles. He said that Punjab has demanded convening a meeting of the Council of Common Interests immediately so that these issues could be resolved in the light of the constitution. Replying to another question, he said that People’s Party promoted corruption in Azad Kashmir elections and used the funds of Benazir Income Support Programme as a bribe.