Punjab government pursuing a comprehensive programme of public welfare: chief minister

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif gave a detailed briefing to the Chief Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif regarding public welfare projects at a high level meeting, here on Wednesday.
Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Provincial Ministers, Assembly Members, Chief Secretary, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Chairman Planning & Development, administrative secretaries of various departments and divisional commissioners were also present.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab government is pursuing a comprehensive programme of public welfare in the province and a number of projects are being executed expeditiously. He said that credit goes to Punjab government for realising the dream of the poor and the common man of having their own house through launching of Aashiyana housing schemes first time in the history of the country and these schemes have even better residential facilities than the housing societies of the elites. He said that after the first Aashiyana housing scheme in Saroba Attari, Lahore, not only the scope of this project is being extended but land has also been identified for these schemes in 17 other districts of the province.
He said that the work on Aashiyana-II in the provincial metropolis will soon be started. He said that 22 model villages have been constructed for the affectees in the flood-hit areas and modern amenities have been provided in these villages. He said that construction of model villages has introduced a new lifestyle in backward areas and the same model is being replicated for the provision of residential facilities to the masses. He said that the programme of distribution of 3 and 5 marla plots among shelterless people in the rural and urban areas has been finalized under which one lakh plots will be distributed in the rural areas. Similarly, he said, plots will also be distributed among shelterless people in cities and towns for the construction of houses and a target of five lakh plots has been fixed.
He said that district monitoring committees have completed the process of identification of land in rural areas, while a committee has been formed, which will submit its recommendations within next seven days regarding the suitability of the sites and availability of facilities. He said that under the project, development work would be completed before the construction of houses on the plots provided in different areas. Describing 25 thousand plots allocated in cities as insufficient, he said that there are more shelterless people in the cities than rural areas who urgently need houses, therefore, a target of five lakh plots for construction of houses has been set for urban areas.
He said that commissioners and the departments concerned should complete the process of identification of more land for this purpose. He said that the process of distribution of plots among the shelterless people will be completed in a highly transparent manner and district monitoring committees will supervise this process. He said that a policy is also being formulated for awarding of proprietary rights to the dwellers of katchi abadies and it will soon be given a final shape. He said that Punjab government has also taken solid measures for provision of transport and basic amenities to the masses. He said that a modern transport system has been launched in the provincial metropolis and its scope is being extended to other cities of the province as well. Similarly, he said, an agreement has been signed with Turk companies for making Lahore a neat and clean city.
Appreciating public welfare projects of Punjab government, Nawaz Sharif said that welfare of common man and the poor should be the pivot of all policies of the government, as they have an equal right over national resources. He said that utilisation of the redundant lands of Auqaf and other departments should be considered for the welfare projects and provision of recreational facilities to the masses. He said that maximum land should be identified for distribution among the shelterless people so that more and more shelterless, poor and hapless people could benefit from this scheme.