ISLAMABAD: The Centre has asked the provinces to ensure complete coordination for improvement in health, education, agriculture, tourism and industrial sectors.

The Centre sought the coordination of the provinces at a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan and attended by Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and Governor Shah Farman and provincial ministers of the two provinces.

The prime minister stressed the need for better coordination between the Centre and the provinces to overcome the problems confronting people. He also called for inter-provincial coordination. “After completing the first phase of six months, the government is stepping into its next phase which requires better coordination between the Centre and provinces,” he added.

Mr Khan said there was a need to highlight the measures taken by the government for the betterment of people and the country so that the people could know that in what circumstances former rulers had left the nation. “We have come into power in a difficult situation and we know that people are in trouble due to devaluation of rupee. But the government is striving hard to bring prosperity to the country,” he added.

Chairs EAC meeting, reviews steps taken for overcoming economic crisis

Minister for Planning and Development Khusro Bakhtiar briefed the meeting on future priorities of the government.

The meeting reviewed the steps being taken for establishing the proposed Regional Equalisation Development Fund to provide equal opportunities for development of remote areas of the country. In this connection development activities will be launched in 50 cities under the World Bank and Asian Development Bank programmes.

The prime minister emphasised the need for preparing a roadmap for tapping potential of tourism in the country. “We can generate $40 billion annually only through tourism,” he said.

The provincial ministers of Punjab and KP briefed the meeting on health, education, agriculture, tourism and other sectors. On this, working groups comprising federal and provincial ministers were formed.

The meeting was informed that a summary for establishment of seven industrial zones in Punjab had been sent to the Board of Investment (BoI). Finance Minister Asad Umer told the meeting that the BoI had been directed to prepare a special economic zones framework for tourism in 30 days. The meeting was informed that Rashakai Economic Zone would become operational soon.

In the agriculture sector, the prime minister was informed that due to the government’s efforts the farmers of Punjab had for the first time received actual price of their sugarcane yield. In addition to this, subsidy is being given to the farmers for increasing canola and sunflower oil production.

Prime Minister Khan said improvement in the agriculture sector would help rid people of poverty.

He directed the authorities concerned to upgrade health facilities in all government hospitals and ensure cleanliness there. “Administrations of hospitals must be directed that no leniency will be tolerated in cleanliness of the hospitals and for that purpose the ministers concerned will pay frequent visits there.”

The prime minister was informed that arrangements had been made to provide Health Insaf Cards to over 800,000 people in Punjab from Feb 20. In the first phase, the cards will be issued to the people in Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh and Multan, and later the people in 36 districts of Punjab will get the facility.

EAC meeting

Prime Minister Khan also chaired a meeting of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) and reviewed the measures being taken by the government to come out of the prevailing economic crisis.

The finance minister informed the meeting about improvement in economic indicators in January and the steps being taken for digitalisation of the economy.

The meeting expressed the hope that digitalisation of the economy and e-commerce would help small and medium industries prosper.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2019