RAHIM YAR KHAN: Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht inaugurated various projects in Mianwali Qureshian, Zahir Pir and Khanpur and reviewed progress on the ongoing projects.

After laying the foundation stone for the upgrade of the Mianwali Qureshian Rural Health Centre (RHC), the minister said the RHC would be provided facilities on a par with a tehsil headquarters hospital with Rs300 million. He said the people of Mianwali Qureshian had been deprived of basic facilities for years but the present government would ensure the provision of missing facilities to them.

Later, the minister left for Zahir Pir where he visited the town committee office and inaugurated the newly constructed Rescue 1122 station and sewerage in the area. He also inspected the modern machinery provided to the municipal committee. He told the area notables that the Rs400 million projects were executed keeping in view the immediate needs of the residents of the area.

In Khanpur, the finance minister reviewed the ongoing and completed projects costing Rs700 million.

Deputy Commissioner Ali Shehzad briefed the minister on the projects.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the pace of work on the cadet college which is being constructed at a cost of Rs630 million in Khanpur, the minister directed the administration to ensure commencement of classes in the college this year. Also, tree plantation inside and outside the campus should be ensured.

The minister ordered immediate recruitment of doctors and other staff in the Khanpur eye hospital. He said the construction of hospitals without the presence of doctors was meaningless. He said steps should be taken to ensure attendance of doctors in backward areas. He told reporters the Punjab government was going to launch a Rs50 billion health programme in the next financial year which would benefit 110 million people of Punjab.

Under the Universal Health Insurance Programme, every citizen would be provided health insurance of Rs500,000 to one million which would enable him to get all the health facilities. Prior to the plan, health facilities were being upgraded in all districts.

The construction of Shaikh Zayed Surgical Tower in Rahim Yar Khan and provision of road infrastructure is also part of the plan. He said the government was ensuring the provision of basic amenities in all districts as per the needs of the rural and urban population instead of focusing on urban mega projects.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2021