- Punjab CM opens Kot Smadh-Sonak Road
- Launches second phase of construction, rehab of roads
- Lays foundation stone of potable water scheme in Khanpur
Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday that south Punjab will benefit the most from the Saaf Pani project and the revolutionary programme of construction and rehabilitation of roads.
Addressing separate public gatherings in Mianwali Qureshian, Rahimabad and Sadiqabad during his eight-hour long visit to Rahim Yar Khan district where he inaugurated development projects worth billions of rupees, Sharif said that besides rural road programme and Saaf Pani project, work was also in progress on energy projects.
He said that a huge amount of Rs 50 billion had been allocated in the current fiscal year for the Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Programme while Rs 15 billion had been allocated for the Saaf Pani project.
The CM said that every penny of public money would be spent on progress and prosperity of the masses and a network of hundreds of kilometers long roads would be laid till 2018. He further said his government was spending billions of rupees on promotion of education.
Sharif said that the target of provision of educational scholarships to 0.1 million poor but talented students under the Punjab Educational Endowment Fund had been achieved while in the future, 0.2 million such students would be given stipends under this programme for which an amount of Rs 4 billion had been allocated. He said that Pakian Sarkan Sokhay Painday programme would be a milestone in rural economy which would reduce the distance between villages and cities.
Referring to the efforts being made for resolving energy crisis, the chief minister said that 7,000 megawatts electricity would be generated through the power projects to be set up during the next two years with cooperation of China.
Sharif said that implementation of energy projects would reduce load-shedding, boost industrial and agriculture sectors and create job opportunities. He said the federal and Punjab government were working together expeditiously on 3600-megawatt gas-based power projects.
The CM said that potable water was not the right of the rich only but of the common man as well and the Punjab government was ensuring this right. He said he had promised that potable water would be made available to the people of Sadiqabad so he would continue striving till drinking water reached every house in the area.
During his visit to Rahim Yar Khan, the chief minister inaugurated development projects worth billions of rupees. He opened an eleven kilometers long road constructed from Kot Smadh to Sonak under the Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Programme. Besides, he inaugurated the second phase of construction and rehabilitation programme of roads. The CM also laid the foundation stone of a potable water scheme in Chak No 63 of Khanpur tehsil and later paid a surprise visit to Government High School, Rahimabad in Sadiqabad. Later, he visited the Khawaja Fareed Engineering and Information Technology University and issued orders for completion of construction work at the earliest.
