LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Punjab government in its first year of rule developed eight policies to give future direction to the administrative departments to serve the masses.

It observed austerity measures and refrained from launching any new mega project keeping in view the limited resources, while continuing the ongoing development projects – ending the tradition of blocking such initiatives taken by the previous government.

The Punjab government says it has recruited some 40,000 doctors, launched Sehat Insaf Cards to be given seven million families in 22 districts of Punjab by the end of this calendar year and in the remaining 14 districts by the end of financial year. Each family will have Rs720,000 coverage to get free healthcare services in 111 public and private hospitals.

Besides, ordering austerity measures in all the government establishments, the chief minister also curtailed his secretariat’s expenses by 60 per cent and “saved Rs650 million during first year”.

The Punjab government also allocated a whopping 35 per cent budget for south Punjab and ring-fenced it to ensure the funds could not be re-appropriated. The amount would also be spent on setting up ‘South Punjab Secretariat’.

In a bid to fulfill its promise of building “Naya Pakistan”, the Punjab government has formulated eight policies – Punjab industrial policy, water policy, agriculture policy, livestock policy, labour policy, tourism policy, special education policy and non-formal basic education policy.

The industrial policy promises 10 per cent annual growth, 1.2 million new jobs as well as technical training for 0.5 million youths annually by 2023 when this government will complete its term. The industries department will provide developed space for the new industries and plans development of 107,65 acres in nine industrial estates.

Under the Punjab Water Policy 2018 and Water Act 2019, the government aims at better water management through its focus on reservoirs, water conservation and governance. It also formed agriculture policy that included improving the living conditions of women and attracting youth in the sector.

The livestock policy, prepared in coordination with the international organisations, will ensure the livestock sector plays its due role in the development of country’s economy through increase in yield and exports.

Through the new labour policy, the government introduced six new laws offering facilities and financial protection to the labour class, including scholarships and marriage grant for their children. The labour department restored allotment of labour colonies, besides construction of three more -- two in Lahore and one in Multan.

The tourism policy has been introduced to develop more resorts and parks for tourists. The tourism department also offered 177 government rest houses on rent to the public. The Government House, Murree, has also been opened for the public to get palatial rooms on whopping rent of Rs100,000 per night. The department has also identified historical and religious sites to promote tourism across the province.

Similarly, Punjab’s first special education policy aims at “reinvigoration” of 17 special education institutions, construction of 36 new campuses and 15 new special education institutions across the province. The government will also provide quality transport system for special students with a cost of Rs335 million. It will provide school buses in nine special education institutions with a cost of Rs55 million, besides recruiting more teachers.

Similarly, the first-ever “Punjab Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Policy” has been introduced to ensure bringing out-of-school children in the fold and sending them to normal schools in phases. For transgenders and gypsies, it plans three and 15 institutions, respectively. For the education of inmates, some 238 adult literacy centres will be established in jails.

The Punjab specialised healthcare and medical education department is establishing University of Child Health Sciences with an initial cost of Rs300 million, setting up of Mother and Childcare Block in Ganga Ram Hospital with Rs500m and gynaecology block in DG Khan teaching hospital with Rs241m. It is also working on Nishtar Hospital-II plan with a cost of Rs6 billion.

The primary and secondary healthcare department is actively working on screening hepatitis B&C, tuberculosis and HIV/ AIDS as well as vaccination of children. It is rejuvenating 40 DHQs and THQs with a cost of Rs3.1 billion. As many as 13 incinerators are installed in Punjab to destroy hospital waste.

For provision of clean and safe drinking water, the government has established Aab-e-Pak Authority through an act of parliament. The Punjab governor is its chairman.

The higher education department is working on six new universities and plans at least one in each district. It is also establishing 43 new colleges with a cost of Rs828 million. It plans provision of missing facilities in 31 colleges with a cost of Rs383m.

The school education department launched the Punjab Education Sector Plan “The New Deal” and was finalising school education policy 2019, envisaging reforms in the sector.

It government also enacted various acts, including Punjab Local Government Act 2019 to pave way for the local government elections. It retrieved 910,000 kanal costly land from the mafia through anti-encroachment drives. The local government and community development department is also working on installing waste water treatment system for villages.

The government began implementing “Naya Pakistan Housing Programme” by offering single and double storey houses in Bhakkar, Lodhran, Chishtian, Renala Khurd, Layya and Khushab with current year funding of Rs5 billion.

It expanded “Koh Suleman Development Authority” jurisdiction, which was pending for the last three years for “unknown reasons”. It is also restoring old parks in DG Khan and Taunsa with a cost of Rs160m.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2019