Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar regretted that opposition undermined the national interest for the sake of protecting their personal stakes.
In a statement on Wednesday, the CM said that the negative role of the opposition will not be remembered in good words, adding that they (opposition) had no strategy or plans to benefit the masses.
“The thieves faced defeat on every occasion because they used politics for loot and increasing their own bank balances”, he added.
The culture of politics rooted in corruption and loot was being wiped out under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said ,adding that precious state land worth billions of rupees was being retrieved from grabbers. He was hopeful that the dream of a prosperous Pakistan would materialize gradually and ultimately.
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Wednesday chaired a meeting about the irrigation department at his office to review the progress on development schemes.
The CM directed to accelerate the pace of development work on ongoing schemes for their timely completion and appreciated the performance of the irrigation department.
The meeting decided to overcome the illegal practice of pumping out the canal water as the CM directed to constitute a committee to review rules for the extension of canal command areas. This committee will submit its comprehensive recommendations at the earliest.
It was further decided to devise a policy for retrieving illegal occupation of areas adjoining the canals and the CM directed that the policy should be presented according to the time frame.
The CM further directed to take immediate steps to transfer the control of the Chashma Right Bank Canal to the irrigation department, adding that the summary be given final shape quickly.
Meanwhile, the meeting was told that feasibility reports have cleared the construction of small dams in the areas of Hathi Morr, Talang Ban and Khantak/Jalebi Morr in Koh-e-Suleman. Funds will be provided immediately for these projects.
The CM directed to provide resources for the Chobara Branch phase-II adding that work should be started for the restoration of Gang Nullah under the Vohwa Development Project. The construction of the spur of Lalu Dera Shah will be started soon and the irrigation, drainage, rivers act will be presented before the cabinet for approval.
The meeting gave in-principle approval to the electronic collection of abyana and the CM asked the resource mobilization committee under the finance minister to examine the e-abyana system. This committee will submit detailed recommendations.
Finance minister Hashim Jawan Bakht, Irrigation Minister Mohsin Leghari, chairman P&D, secretaries of finance and information departments and others attended the meeting.
On the direction of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, the free vaccination of elderly citizens, of more than 60 years of age, has been started and vaccination centres have been established in various districts of the province.
In a statement, the CM said the officials are directed to arrange necessary facilities for the elderly visitors and announced to visit such centres to review the facilities. Vaccination of health workers will also continue while the government is taking steps to save the citizens from this virus, he added. The CM maintained that public cooperation is imperative to overcome corona as an increase in corona patients has been witnessed due to carelessness and non-observance of SOPs.
The chief minister said 1006 new corona patients have been reported and 29 others died during the last 24 hours while the active cases have reached 6756 in the province. 15260 have been tested in this period, he added. Meantime, 5629 have died of corona while more than 34 lakh and 47 thousand tests have been conducted.
The CM disclosed that SOPs can be adjusted in the wake of an increase in cases because the protection of citizens’ life is important and every possible step will be taken in this regard. On the other side, he regretted that the opposition tried to politicise the issue during this pandemic. The elements, which left the people alone in a pandemic, are on their jack today, he added.
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar while taking notice of the stoppage of the provision of medicines to the cancer patients, has directed the concerned authorities to ensure the supply of such medicines.
He has directed the cabinet committee for finance and development to solve the matter and ensure the availability of medicines to cancer patients. He further directed to evolve a comprehensive strategy for the smooth supply of medicines to the patients, said a handout issued here.
No negligence will be tolerated in this regard, he added.
On the directions of the chief minister, the meeting of the cabinet committee for finance and development has been called on tomorrow (Thursday) and the provision of medicines to the patients has been included in the agenda of the meeting.