A 15-member delegation comprising participants of 21st Senior Management Course of National Institute of Management (NIM), Islamabad visited the Civil Secretariat Lahore, on Monday in connection with its inland study tours. The delegation was led by NIM Chief Instructor Khalid Mehmood.
Punjab Additional Chief Secretary Shamail Ahmad Khawaja gave a detailed presentation to the delegation about the factors behind fast-paced development of the Punjab and the improved situation of law & order. P&D Member Hassan Mehmood and other administrative secretaries apprised the delegation about the development strategy of their respective departments; while archives Provincial Secretary, in the capacity of home special secretary, briefed about maintenance of law & order and achievements of Punjab government with regard to eradication of terrorism.
ACS Shamail Khawaja told that effective reforms have been introduced to bring forth far-reaching improvements in health and educational sectors. He termed as glorious example for other provinces the positive results of new governance model achieved through 56 companies for expanding the energy resources required for the development of the province as well as improvements in other sectors including agriculture. He disclosed that intermediate cities development programme is being launched in addition to completion of mega development projects in major cities of the province and expansion of 20 thousand kilometer rural approach roads. This would be the most conspicuous hallmark of Punjab Speed exhibiting the speedy completion of development projects under the vision of the Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
He further told that the World Health Organization has termed the health sector development as the glowing example of most promising reforms in the real sense. Due to these reforms, a remarkable improvement has been brought in the DHQs and BHUs during the last one year with an amount of Rs. 200 billion. Meanwhile, the quality of healthcare facilities has also been improved, he added.
The meeting was told that special subsidy would be provided by the Punjab government to the small farmers sowing proteins crops instead of carbohydrates crops as well as sowing of high value crops on low land holdings so as to get maximum benefit of the available lands. A subsidy of Rs. 2.88 billion has been given to farmers for giving complete exemption from the GST on the purchase of pesticides; while the Chief Minister has also issued directions to set up hi-tech mechanization service centers at tehsil level in the province, the meeting was further told.