Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar presided over an important meeting at Arfa Software Technology Park on Tuesday in which dengue situation; steps taken for eradication of this disease and betterment of treatment facilities was reviewed.
The chief minister directed to continue anti-dengue surveillance by line departments and added to give full attention to indoor and outdoor surveillance along with clinical management of hospitals for the treatment of the patients. There is no room for any leniency in this regard, he warned.
The chief minister said that there is no justification of agitation by the young doctors as treatment of patients is their fundamental responsibility and strike is unbecoming of the noble profession of doctors. He directed to solve the matters with mutual understanding adding that patients should face no difficulty in their treatment. He said that medical facilities will be further improved in major hospitals of the provincial metropolis and every possible step will be taken for this purpose. He said that parking of vehicles on road outside the children’s hospital creates disturbance for patients, their attendants and other visitors.
Health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, secretary SH&ME and others attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht called on Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar and presented one-year performance report to him. Secretary finance Abdullah Sumbal was also present on this occasion. The chief minister appreciated the one-year performance of the finance department and directed to strictly implement austerity policy along with bringing further decrease in unnecessary expenditures and following the financial discipline in the province. He said that development of the social sector is an important the priority area of the government adding that a huge amount has been allocated first time for this sector. The Punjab government has adopted different steps to increase resources and additional resources around 25 billion rupees have been collected as a result of organizational restructuring and adoption of other initiatives. He said that eight percent funds were allocated for health sector during the last fiscal year while 15 percent funds have been reserved for the betterment of healthcare facilities during the current financial year.
He said that Punjab government is implementing new programmes to facilitate the common man. Easing the economic burden on less-privileged under Ehsaas programme is the mission of the government, he added. He pointed out that Punjab government has started a unique programme to bring ease in the business-related activities and the citizenry would submit their taxes relating to 12 provincial departments online. Finance minister briefed the chief minister that Punjab government has fixed the target of collecting 388 billion rupees through its resources and pointed out that the target for the current fiscal year is 44.6 percent more as compared to 269 billion rupees target of the previous financial year.
During the previous year, 32 percent funds were allocated for social sector development while this fund has been enhanced to 41 percent during the current year, he added. At the end of the current fiscal year, Punjab would have surplus money of 233 billion rupees, he said. He said that the Punjab government has started restructuring exercise of different departments to improve the organizational capacity and subsidies would be made realistic under this programme. In the first phase, reorganization of WASA would be done within the next two to three years. He informed that 19 percent increase has been witnessed in the registered taxpayers of Punjab Revenue Authority as effective steps have been taken to harmonize the rate of taxes. He said that 17 meetings of cabinet standing committee on finance and development have been held in one year alone and 448 agenda items have been disposed of.
Cabinet committee on finance and development has saved around 7.7 billion rupees by rejecting additional funds demands of different departments, he added. Similarly, the finance department has actively performed to ensure effective utilization of funds. So far, savings around 21.5 billion rupees have been made by rationalization of different departments’ funds’ demands, he said. The finance minister further said that 60 new branches of Bank of Punjab have been opened including that of 17 branches in southern Punjab. The Bank of Punjab earned a record profit of seven billion rupees during the first biannual of the current year. As a result, the total value of Bank of Punjab assets has reached to around eight billion rupees.
Action against profiteers: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has expressed strong concern over the increase in prices of some essential items and vegetables and added that profiteers are culprits of the law as well as the society. Now, no action would be made on paper; action will have to be taken against illegal profiteers and price-control magistrates will have to take practical steps against hoarders and illegal profiteers through field inspections. We have to give relief to the people by overcoming the price-hike and price-control committees will have to actively perform their role as well, he added. The chief minister directed the cabinet committee on price-control to take strict legal action against the creators of artificial price-hike.
Legal action should be initiated against them in every big and small city and the foolproof mechanism will be adopted for the eradication of price-hike on a permanent basis. The chief minister directed to take effective action against profiteers and added that people cannot be left at their mercy. Price-hike is the issue of common man and report should be submitted to the CM Office by solving it at every cost. He reiterated that the government will go to every extent to protect public rights as well as to provide relief to them. He said that Punjab government has introduced toll-free number for lodging complaints of the consumers and the citizens can lodge a complaint against those selling items at higher prices at 08000234 and action will be initiated against shopkeepers on consumers’ complaints about selling items at exorbitant rates, he added.
Lawmakers meet CM: Assembly members belonging to different districts called on Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar at CM Office here today. Usman Buzdar while talking on this occasion said that PTI government wants to bring stable and positive change in the lives of people. “We will bring change through our deeds instead of making mere gossips”, he added. “PTI government believes in politics of truth and do not believe in false claims”, he stated. Those indulging in politics of anarchy will never succeed. Pakistan is presently confronted with internal and external challenges and those elements endeavouring to create unrest during the present time are not sincere with the country and its people, he maintained. The people of Pakistan will not allow anyone to create instability, he resolved. The whole nation has firm faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Prime Minister Imran Khan has rightly become a spokesperson for Kashmiri people at the international forum, he commended.
Usman Buzdar also listened to the problems of Assembly Members relating to their respective constituencies and also issued orders for resolving them. Those who met with chief minister included Members National Assembly named Ghulam Bibi Bharwana, Sardar Riaz Mehmood Khan Mazari, Provincial Minister Mian Khalid Mehmood, Advisor Faisal Jewana, Members Provincial Assembly Sher Akbar Khan, Khurram Ijaz Chatha, Umer Aftab Dhillon, Muhammad Mavia, Abida Bibi, Momina Waheed, Muhammad Mamoon Tarar, Syed Yawar Abbas Bukhari, Sadia Sohail, Muhammad Tariq Tarar, Nazir Chohan and others. Chairman P&D Secretaries of C&W, Specialized Health & Medical Education, Primary & Secondary Health, Schools Education, Higher Education, Housing, Local Government and concerned officials were also present on this occasion.
Pakistani wrestler: Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar congratulated Pakistani wrestler Inam Butt for winning a gold medal in World Beach Games being held at Doha. Usman Buzdar said that Inam Butt by defeating Georgian wrestler in the final game has brought name and fame to the country and to the nation. Inam Butt by displaying excellent performance has proved his professionalism and capability as a wrestler. Inam Butt by winning gold medal has further elevated Pakistani green flag. “I pray to Allah Almighty to bestow him with more successes in future also”, concluded Usman Buzdar.
World Food Day: Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar in his message on World Food Day said that getting nutritional food is basic right of every human being. Pakistan is included in those countries where poor people get only one times meal. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure dietary protection to the people, he added.
The PTI government has undertaken many steps in order to deal with this problem of the common man. A revolutionary programme like shelter homes is not only providing shelter to the deprived people but food also, he maintained. The federal government has also launched the project of opening up food centres. Close collaboration between government and private sector so as to ensure food protection is necessary, he stressed.
Food wastage will have to be checked in order to reduce the chances of food scarcity and providing complete awareness to the common man is inevitable in this regard. It is utmost necessary to inculcate awareness among the people to stop wastage of food and those people who are provided with surplus food beyond their basic needs, should also include poor people in this fortune of food sharing, he advised. Usman Buzdar said that Punjab government has further extended the scope of Food Authority in order to ensure the provision of quality food.
The motive behind celebrating World Food Day is to accelerate the efforts in order to overcome the problems arising due to scarcity of food. It is the first and foremost priority of the government to create a balance between demand and supply of food and also ensure the provision of food to each and every person, he added. He said that in order to cope up with lack of food access, implementation on the formulated policy made with good intentions should be ensured and we have to reiterate our resolve that all available resources will be utilized in order to cater to timely needs of food in the country, concluded Usman Buzdar.
