Controlling problems like energy crisis, terrorism, extremism and sectarianism is essential for rapid development of the country, said Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif while talking to elected representatives of various districts who called on him on Tuesday.
Speaking on the occasion, Shahbaz said that besides coping with terrorism, the government is also paying due attention to development of education, health and other social sectors. He said the government has adopted a solid strategy to promote education and Punjab Higher Education Commission has been established in the province for the promotion of higher education.
The chief minister said that billions of rupees are being spent on provision of missing facilities in schools. He said that Danish schools have been established in backward districts of the province especially South Punjab where educational facilities better than Aitchison College are being provided to the children of low-income segments.
Similarly, talented children of poor families have been provided opportunities to move forward in the academic field through Punjab Educational Endowment Fund. He said that the total volume of Punjab Educational Endowment Fund has increased up to Rs 12 billion and scholarships are being given to more than 65,000 poor but brilliant students to study at prestigious educational institutions.
Health facilities being improved: Referring to provision of public health facilities, the chief minister said that like education, health sector is also of vital importance and development of this sector is among the priorities of the government. He said that reforms are being introduced in health sector with the cooperation of British Department for International Development (DFID). He said that special attention is also being paid to mother and child health under Mother and Child Healthcare Programme.
He said that modern training is being imparted to health workers on the pattern of teachers’ training programme. He said that mobile health unit project has been highly successful in providing modern treatment facilities to the people of remote areas. He said that latest healthcare facilities are being extended to the patients at the state of the art Tayyip Erdogan Hospital set up in district Muzaffargarh with the cooperation of Turkey and people of remote areas are also benefiting from this hospital.
He said that a corruption-free culture has been promoted in Punjab and all development projects are being completed speedily and transparently while a high standard is also being maintained. He said that transparency, speed and standard are the hallmark of the projects of the government and it is completely free from corruption.
Elected representatives appreciated the public-welfare projects of the government and said that people are fully benefiting from welfare-oriented measures of the government.
