- CM, team successfully negotiate with Chinese companies to reduce the cost of the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project
A cabinet meeting presided over by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif gave conditional approval to Women Protection Bill 2015 against violence whereas draft of Punjab Labour Policy was also approved.
It was revealed during the meeting that through successful negotiations with Chinese companies, Rs 100 billion have been saved in Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project, upon which, the cabinet paid rich tributes to the chief minister and his team. The meeting decided that all provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, chief secretary, inspector general of police, secretaries, commissioners, DCOs, RPOs and DPOs each will adopt one government school.
Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said that during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Pakistan, a historic economic package of $46 billion had been announced which included investment of $20 billion only in energy projects.
“With the cooperation of China, 10,400 megawatt projects of solar, coal, wind and hydle will be set up in Pakistan and most of the projects will start generating electricity by the end of 2017,” he said, adding that 1,320 megawatt coal based power projects will be set up in Sahiwal which will be completed by December 2017.
Similarly, 300 megawatt electricity project based on indigenous coal is being set up at Jhelum which will also start working by the end of 2017, he added.
He said that work is being carried out speedily on solar project of 900 megawatt in Bahawalpur and hoped that 350 megawatt solar energy will be added to national grid by December 2015 whereas 550 megawatt solar energy will be produced by September 2016.
“The Bahawalpur transmission line is being upgraded in this regard so that the supply system of electricity could be harmonised with electricity production,” he said.
He said that $4.5 billion projects will be executed in Punjab through Chinese investment whereas in Sindh, the projects of $9 billion will be set up.
“All of these projects will benefit Pakistan and its 180 million citizens,” he said.
He said that China has helped Pakistan in difficult situation and Allah Almighty has made China a source for us and we are thankful to Him. “We all have to work day and night together with honesty to benefit from this historic opportunity,” he said, adding that such a big opportunity never came in the history earlier.
He said that China is also investing two billion dollars for laying two transmission lines of 4,000 megawatt each. One line will be laid from Matiyari to Faisalabad while the second from Matiyari to Lahore, he added.
He said that planning has also been completed for generating electricity through gas in Punjab. He said that the Punjab government will set up 1,200 megawatt gas based energy project from its own resources while the federal government will also set up 2,400 megawatt gas based projects in Punjab. He said that a 100 megawatt project has been completed at Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park, Bahawalpur, and electricity is being provided to national grid. He said that instructions have been issued to departments concerned for planning of establishing a modern industrial estate in Bahawalpur.
He said that agriculture industry and other sectors will progress through setting up of energy projects and thousands of people will get employment opportunities.
RURAL ROADS PROGRAMME TO BRING RURAL REVOLUTION:
Mentioning Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Programme, he said that the programme started with billions of rupees is of great importance for rural economy. He said that the work of widening of all rural roads upto 12 feet in Punjab will be completed by 2018 whereas Rs15 billion have been allocated for this programme for the current financial year.
SAAF PANI FOR EVERYONE:
He said that the Saaf Pani Project is being started from Bahawalpur and the target has been fixed for providing potable water to every tehsil of the province during the next three years.
METRO TRAIN PROJECT TO CHANGE CHANGE TRANSPORT CULTURE:
Referring to the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project, he said that the metro train project is the first and unique project in the history of Pakistan which will change transport culture. He said that the project will be 27-kilometre-long and more than two hundred thousand people will benefit from it daily which will be completed within 27 months.
He said that Punjab government of PML-N has set a glorious and worth-emulating example of saving Rs 100 billion in Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project and Allah Almighty has given us a success.