ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday called for improved inter-provincial coordination as well as cooperation between the federation and provinces to address problems of the common man through effective strategy and coordinated policies.
He said that with the present government completing its six months in power and entering the second phase, there was a need to have better coordination between the federal and provincial governments.
The prime minister expressed these views while chairing a high-level meeting which was attended by the top government leadership from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), including Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, KP Governor Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mehmood Khan and provincial ministers.
He said that there was a need to highlight the steps taken so far by the government of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) for the betterment of country and masses.
The prime minister said that the masses should be aware of the facts about what kind of Pakistan and the situation had been left by those who were making tall claims of development and speed.
He mentioned the difficult economic situation when the PTI government took over the reign of the country and said he was fully cognizant of the hardships being faced by people due to the devaluation of the rupee. However, the government was continuously striving to improve the country’s economic conditions, he added.
Minister for Planning and Development Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar briefed the participants about the future priorities of the government.
He told the meeting that in order to check the discrimination of regional development in different provinces, the establishment of a Regional Equalisation Development Fund was under consideration under which the federal government in coordination with the respective provincial governments would take measures for the development of backward areas.
He further said that with a roadmap being formulated to utilise the true potential of tourism, knowledge economy was also being promoted in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The meeting was also briefed by the federal and provincial ministers of Punjab and KP about the measures taken so far in health, education, agriculture and other sectors.
The prime minister was told that recommendations for the establishment of seven industrial zones in Punjab have been sent to the Board of Investment.
Minister for Finance Asad Umar told the meeting that the Board of Investment had been directed to formulate a Special Economic Zones framework for tourism within the next 30 days.
The prime minister was told that due to the efforts of the present government, the farmers in the whole of Punjab got for the first time full rate of their cane crop.
The meeting was further briefed that in order to promote edible oilseed crops, including sunflower and canola, the growers were being provided with subsidies.
The meeting was told that the process of giving Sehat Insaf Card in Punjab would be started from February 20 and in the first phase the people of Rajan Pur, DG Khan, Muzaffargarh and Multan would be provided with Sehat Insaf Card.
The process of the provision of Sehat Insaf Card to the people of 36 Districts of Punjab would be completed by the end of 2019.
The prime minister on this occasion directed to give special importance to the agriculture sector with a focus on its promotion, adding, the development of the agriculture sector would help eliminate poverty.
He also directed to ensure the provision of health facilities to people across the country with special focus on the quality of cleanliness in hospitals, adding that the hospital administrations should be given clear instructions that there would be no compromise on cleanliness.
The prime minister also directed the ministers to visit the hospitals on regular basis.
The minister for planning told the meeting that Rashakai Economic Zone would be operational very soon.
For better coordination in the areas of finance, agriculture, health and education, the working groups of ministers were also constituted in the meeting.
