No reports of IMF objections to power relief package of Punjab govt: minister

LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said on Wednesday that there are no reports of IMF objections to the electricity relief package of the PML(N)-led Punjab government.

“This is a sensitive matter, and news benefiting the common man should be handled with care,” Azma said while addressing at a news conference, here on Wednesday.

She disclosed that 80,000 people have registered for the “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” programme while 800,000 people have registered for the “Kisan Card.”

Relief on power bills starts under CM’s leadership: minister

The provision of solar panels will free the people of Punjab from electricity bills for 25 years, she claimed. Responding to a query, she made it clear whether the culprits are from the “Kacha” areas or “Adiala”, no one will be spared.

She said the “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” programme is interest-free, with a monthly installment of 14,000, and the service charges will be borne by the Punjab government. The Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz has officially launched the “Kisan Card,” which is Rs 300 billion tax-free project, primarily targeting the remote areas of Punjab. Farmers will receive interest-free loans of 30,000 per acre for six months. In this regard, the Agriculture Department has established 136 “Kisan Card Distribution Centers,” she said.

The minister said that when Punjab chief minister started the electricity relief programme, it was opposed by the north and west. Maryam Nawaz has been given a mandate by the people of Punjab, and she is providing relief to them. The solar panel project will start soon, freeing people from electricity bills, she added. “Other provinces have tried to copy this project. One province distributed solar panels to a few people, while another re-inaugurated a previously launched project. It’s unclear whether they were real solar panels or just a photo session,” she added.

She mentioned that Maryam Nawaz’s quality is that she doesn’t make any project public until its groundwork is fully completed. “All the projects initiated so far have been started with Punjab’s resources. Since our government came into power, Punjab’s debt has decreased for the first time,” she added.

Azma Bokhari said that the “Sehat Card” was started during Nawaz Sharif’s tenure, but it was misused by the previous government. Now, the “Sehat Card” will be re-launched with transparency and will be free from corruption. Only those who truly deserve will receive this card.

She added that the Punjab government is taking exemplary steps concerning the environment. Using Safe City Authority cameras, farmers have been arrested for burning crops. This year, there will be a significant reduction in smog, she added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024