LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday approved the launch of a village cleanliness and development programme at the union council level at a cost of Rs19 billion.

He gave the approval at a meeting held through video link and said the representatives of the local government institutions would identify schemes.

The chief minister said the Rural Sanitation and Development Programme would bring about positive change in the rural Punjab.

“An effective cleanliness system will be set up in villages and it will be implemented in a professional manner and transparently. It’s our collective responsibility to ensure transparent utilisation of resources under this programme that is meant to change the rural life,” he said.

He directed the officers to form the provincial steering committee for implementation and monitoring of this programme and said the provincial law minister, the local government minister and the provincial minister for planning and development would jointly head the committee that would also have mayor and chairmen of district councils.

He said this programme was an important step towards making local government institutions more effective. He said just like cities, villages would be made clean.

The secretary local government gave a briefing on the programme. Provincial minister Rana Sanaullah, Manshaullah Butt, Malik Nadeem Kamran, Dr Ayesha Ghaus-Pasha, MNA Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, Senator Saood Majeed, MNA Mehar Ishtiaq Ahmed, the chief secretary, chairmen district councils of Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Narowal, Sheikhupura, Kasur and Chakwal, Lord Mayor Lahore and secretaries of departments attended the meeting.

CRICKET SECURITY: The chief minister said all possible arrangements had been made for the third T20 match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and cricket lovers would enjoy the game in a wonderful environment.

He said the cricket lovers had been waiting for the arrival of the Sri Lankan team for long and the people of Lahore would accord a warm welcome to the guests.

He said the way for the restoration of international cricket would strengthen with the arrival of the Sri Lankan team.

He said the team and international broadcasters would depart from Pakistan after taking message of love and peace.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2017