Resources being utilised for province's uplift: chief minister Punjab

Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that all resources are being utilised for rapid development of the province and welfare of masses while timely and transparent completion of development projects is being ensured.
He said that special attention is being paid to the uplift of rural areas and substantial funds have been allocated for this purpose during the current fiscal year. He directed that ongoing development projects should be completed on priority basis and such schemes should be selected for the ongoing fiscal year, which could benefit maximum number of people.
The CM was presiding over a high level meeting regarding implementation of different projects under special packages during 2010-11 and priorities and timeframe for development schemes for year 2011-12, here Sunday.
Shahbaz issued instructions for setting up a committee of experts headed by chief secretary to select three such districts which showed better performance regarding implementation of development projects and utilisation of funds under special packages for large cities and districts and Southern Punjab Development Programme during the year 2010-11. The committee will also identify three districts that showed poor performance.
The chief minister commended the performance of chief secretary, heads of various departments, Divisional Commissioner and District Co-ordination Officers regarding implementation of development projects and ratio of utilisation of funds during last year which helped achieve development targets. He said that development of backward areas and bringing them at par with the developed ones is among the priorities of the government.
He said that various projects were launched under large cities and districts special packages and Southern Punjab Development Programme during last year and a number of them have been completed while funds of more than rupees 13 billion have been allocated this year for these packages. Issuing instructions for including Chiniot and Sargodha under special packages programme, he directed that ongoing development projects for the current fiscal year should be completed on priority basis so that people could benefit from them as early as possible. He directed the chief secretary to award cash prizes to those showing good performances and a special function should be held for this purpose in Lahore. He also said that while causes for poor performance in some districts should be ascertained and a report be submitted to him within 10 days.