Punjab Assembly approves Rs 70.20 billion demands for grants

Punjab Assembly on Wednesday approved Rs 70.20 billion demands for grants for supplementary budget 2006-07,including Rs 3.51 billion demand for excess budget grant for 2000-2001. The cut motions by the opposition benches on these demands were rejected in the House during the session.
Speaking in the House on the occasion, Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi praised the provincial government performance and claimed that reforms were brought in all sectors. He appreciating the role of treasury and opposition thanked both of them for making the assembly to complete record five-year period, which in last 25-year history was a unique feat.
The Chief Minister dwelling on performance of his government said when they took charge, the province lacked certain geographical resources. "And we decided to develop human resources strategy. Efforts were made to improve education, health and other sectors," he asserted. In education sector, the CM said, free books were provided to students from class 1 to 10. Besides establishing a very affective monitoring system, he averred paucity of teachers was overcome.
With good efforts of the government in education field, acknowledged by international institutions, literacy rate in the province had been enhanced from 47 percent to 62 percent, he said. While 2.2 million new children had been enrolled in the Punjab, he added. He gave credit to President Pervez Musharraf for his guidance in enabling Punjab to get excellence in education sector.
Elahi said that they had now evolved a separate program with regard to colleges and with collaboration of Higher Education Commission new universities were being set up. He particularly mentioned universities coming up with assistance of Sweden and Germany on the occasion.
The Punjab CM dwelling on health sector initiatives by his government said when they took power Basic Health Units were lying vacant and now with rapid change in that scenario, 88 percent of doctors were present there.
He said that the government had established cardiology centers in Multan, Faisalabad and more centers would be set up in other cities soon. The provincial government had upgraded emergency units of teaching cum major hospitals and all medicines whatever their cost might be were being provided free of cost now, he informed.
About road structure development, Elahi asserted 37,000km roads had been built during his tenure of the government. He said this figure was near equivalent to construction of roads of two previous governments. He said new overheads, bridges, Sialkot-Lahore Motorway and other infrastructure were being built by the provincial government. The CM said his government had made hard efforts to bring down the poverty line in the province and was giving Rs 500 support to below poverty line families.
He said that the government had earmarked Rs 100 billion for irrigation uplift program and Rs 600 million for special children. He observed that the provision of houses to government servants in the province was an important feat of his government.
The Chief Minister on the occasion with reference to a former prime minister said the person was defending blasphemous Salman Rushdie despite the fact that she remained Prime Minister of the country for two times. He announced two-month salary for staff of the Assembly on this occasion.
Earlier, opposition legislators Abida Javed in her speech on 'Demands for Grants on Police said that justice system of Islam was the complete guarantor of justice in a country. She said those countries that give esteem to their judiciary attain a higher status. Zeeb-u-Nisa Querashi MPA averred that while masses were deprived of proper security, VVIPs were given extra protection.
She said the government had failed to improve law & order scenario. Punjab Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja speaking on law & order situation said that Punjab had become island of peace and there was no case of sectarian terrorism here. He said the menace had diminished here. The minister said any discrepancy in effective management of Police Order 2002, Local Bodies Act with regard to police effectiveness would be dealt properly.
He said the provincial government had separated prosecution department and criminal prosecution wings. The minister apprised of 'Punjab Defenders Agency' and said that it would help poor people who don't afford legal aid in their distress.
The minister told that new patrolling post established by them had diminished rate of crime in rural areas. He said under their government performance of Special Branch and CID had improved. He told that new traffic system was being introduced in the city. He said the system would usher in other five cities of the province.
A number of privilege motions were moved in the House during the session. A privilege motion was referred to the committee while one privilege motion with respect to 'Double Shah', a fraudulent character an inquiry committee was formed by the chair. The speaker asked the provincial government to give promotion to ASI Muhammad Ali for his astute handling of his case. The House was adjourned for 10am Thursday later by the chair.