Wrong policies resulted in heavy debts: CM Buzdar

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that wrong policies of the former government resulted in payable amount of billions of rupees, heavy debts, devastated infrastructure, worst conditions in education and the health sectors in Punjab.

The CM said that journey of development was remained limited to the hollow slogans in past regimes while backward areas were deprived and their backwardness continued to increase. He added the PTI government had first time started implementation on the equal development policy and evolved a comprehensive plan for the development of backward areas despite of limited resources.

The Chief Minister said that under new agriculture policy, procurement information management system, human resource  information system and Mandi apps have been introduced. Moreover, under National Agriculture Emergency special  measures are being taken for improvement in water channels,  small dams in barani areas, promoting oil-producing crops  and increasing rice and sugarcane produce, he added.

Usman Buzdar said that with the cooperation of Asian Development Bank, Model Auction Markets were also being introduced. Similarly, providing interest free loans to  the farmers and subsidy on agri inputs, insurance schemes  for crops had also been started.

He said that according  to the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and in order  to increase the milk and meat produce in Punjab, Punjab  Animal Health Act 2019 is being introduced and Cholistan  University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences has been established  in Bahawalpur. Similarly, mobile veterinary dispensary for tribal and far-flung areas is an inventive project of PTI government.

He said the government was launching a project for protecting the calves and poultry schemes in rural areas.  He said that Water Policy and Punjab Water Act 2019 is the prominent initiatives of PTI government.

He said that in  order to provide clean drinking water to the residents of Rawalpindi, Dadocha Dam and a dam for district Chakwal would be established while Islam barrage situated at River Satluj will be expanded as a result of which water would be made available to ten lakh acre of land.

He said that lining project of more than one thousand miles long water channels would also be completed with a cost of Rs 9.5 billion. He said that abundant water will be made available for the irrigation with the completion of construction and expansion of four major canals of Punjab.

He said that  construction work at Greater Ther Canal Chobara Branch was  being expedited similarly work is being carried out on the  upgradation of Trimu and Punjnad Barrage.

He said that completion of Jalalpur Canal Project would  result in providing water to the 225,000 residences of Jhelum and Khushab and 160,000 acres of land. "We are the custodian  of the national exchequer and people's money will be spent  for their welfare," CM added.