LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif says the Khadim-i-Punjab Rural Roads Programme will cost Rs150 billion to repair and rehabilitate roads in rural areas across the province.

He said the project was undergoing speedily and thousands of kilometre roads had been repaired and constructed.

He told members of the Punjab Assembly on Saturday the phased programme would change the living standards of rural masses. He said the “Pakkian Sarkaan - Saukhay Painday” was a milestone in the prosperity of rural economy and would bring about a revolution in rural life.

The chief minister said the modern means of communication played an important role in accelerating trade and economic activities. He said the Punjab government was spending billions of rupees on the infrastructure development to provide a strong backbone to the country’s economic development. He said the repaired and rehabilitated roads would serve as a game changer in the stability and development of rural economy by directly benefiting the farmers and those living in rural areas. He said new job opportunities had been created in villages due to implementation of the programme.Mr Sharif said the elements criticising public welfare projects were not sincere to the people and added that a journey of progress and prosperity had been started under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

He said the elements involved in politics of protest were once again trying to waste the precious time of the nation. He said the enlightened people of the country would not be hoodwinked and not allow anyone to hamper the process of progress and development.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2016