LAHORE: A high-level meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday decided to launch the “Khadim-e-Punjab Saaf Dehat Programme.”
Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said, “Khadim-e-Punjab Saaf Dehat Programme will prove to be an important milestone in the improvement of cleanliness in our villages. The programme will be conducted by the local bodies and will bring about a positive change in the lives of people living in villages. It will help to minimise diseases spread due to unsanitary conditions. For this purpose, an effective system of village cleanliness will be introduced.”
The chief minister further said that cleanliness of villages was as important a responsibility of the government as the cleanliness of cities. He said that the provision of a neat and clean atmosphere was a basic right of the rural populace, and the Khadim-e-Punjab Saaf Dehat Programme was being introduced at the level of union councils for this purpose.
The chief minister directed the concerned authorities to devise a comprehensive mechanism to dispose solid waste in an effective manner, adding that a third party would carry out regular audits regarding the effectiveness of the programme. He said that the districts which showed an exemplary performance in cleaning their villages would receive encouragement from the government.
He further said that the cleanliness process should be completed till the end of December, adding that a provincial steering committee will regularly monitor the progress of the programme so as to maintain general cleanliness in the villages.
Provincial ministers and other high-level officials including Manshaullah Butt, Malik Nadeem Kamran, Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, special assistant Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan and chairmen of Narowal, Faisalabad and Sheikhupura district councils were present at the meeting. Sargodha division commissioner and deputy commissioner participated in the meeting through a video link.
