LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has approved in principle the launch of cleanliness and development programme for villages and an amount of Rs19 billion will be earmarked for this purpose.
Sanitation and development projects will be launched at the union council level under this programme and representatives of local government institutions will identify the schemes.
The chief minister gave approval in this regard in a meeting held through a video link.
Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said the Rural Sanitation and Development Programme will bring about a positive change in villages and an effective cleanliness system will be set up at village level under this programme.
He said that this programme will be implemented in a professional manner and transparently. He added that it will be a combined responsibility to ensure transparent utilisation of resources under this programme, which will altogether change for better the rural life like the Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Programme.
Shehbaz Sharif also directed the formation of the provincial steering committee for the implementation and monitoring of this programme and said that the Punjab law minister, Punjab local government minister and Punjab planning and development minister will jointly preside over this committee while mayor and chairmen of district councils will also be included in the committee.
He said that this programme is an important step towards making local government institutions more effective and this program will also help improve cleanliness system in villages. He added that we have made cities clean and in the same way villages will also be made clean.
The local government secretary gave a briefing on the programme.
Provincial minister Rana Sanaullah, Manshaullah Butt, Malik Nadeem Kamran, Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, MNA Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, Senator Saud Majeed, MNA Mehar Ishtiaq Ahmed, chief secretary, Chairmen of district councils of Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Narowal, Sheikhupura, Kasur and Chakwal, Lahore Lord Mayor and secretaries of concerned departments attended the meeting.
