LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has formed a provincial steering committee headed by Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq to oversee the cities development programme.
Among the other members are Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Zeeshan Malik and Punjab Local Government Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Mian. The steering committee established at the provincial level will also take necessary decisions in consultation with the local elected representatives while the steering committee in each district will also work under the chairmanship of the deputy commissioner.
Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq’s disclosed this during his visit to the Punjab Municipal Development Fund Company (PMDFC) to review the progress on the programme on Monday. Punjab Local Government Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Mian and Additional Secretary Ahmar Sohail Kaifi were also present. On this occasion, PMDFC MD Syed Zahid Aziz gave a briefing on the cities development programme.
On this occasion, he said the survey for development works has been completed in all the small and big cities of the 35 districts of Punjab.
“This is another mega project of the Punjab government, under which the construction and repair of sewerage, drainage, rainwater storage, parks and streets in urban areas will be completed, while the drainage system will be converted to solar energy,” he added.
He observed that the chief minister is following the province’s policy of uniform development; in the first phase, 59 cities will be upgraded, and in the second phase, 110 cities will be upgraded. He averred that the project which is devised with the support of the World Bank will end the problems of basic services in cities that have been going missing for years.
“The chief minister has ordered the completion of the project in 50 cities by next year. The PMDFC should complete the PC-1 of each city during the current month, and the steering committee established at the provincial level will also take necessary decisions in consultation with the local elected representatives,” he added.
He averred that a drainage by-system is being introduced in every city for the first time, laying special sewer lines will protect groundwater from possible contamination.
On this occasion, the secretary, while directing to keep in mind the model of Lahore Development Programme, said that most of the available human resources will be utilised for the cities development programme and only new recruitment will be made for essential posts. He expressed his determination that the entire project will be completed within two years, which will meet the municipal needs of the cities for the next 25 years.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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