LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has announced increase in development budget for the local bodies in order to make them ‘financially independent’.

Presiding over a meeting held in this regard here on Saturday, the chief minister termed local bodies nurseries of democracy and said the Punjab government had increased its resources to the tune of billions of rupees through provincial finance commission award.

He said the development budget of the local bodies would be increased substantially to make them financially independent. He said the local bodies’ representatives would have to play an important role in providing basic amenities to the people. Shahbaz pledged Punjab government’s cooperation at every level in this regard.

At another meeting, the chief minister said the elements criticising public welfare projects like Metro bus and Orange Line train without any reason were enemies of the public development and prosperity.

“The elements obstructing the development projects of welfare are not friends of people,” he said.

He said the former rulers increased the problems of the people through their plunder and corruption instead of giving the masses any relief.

“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has set new records of public developments,” he claimed.

Meanwhile, Governor Rafique Rajwana called on the CM and discussed matters of mutual interest.

Published in Dawn January 22nd, 2017