LAHORE, March 11: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi says the government is providing additional resources to expedite development projects being under way in the province.

He said this while presiding over a meeting held to review performance of agriculture, livestock, communication and works, irrigation, information technology, forests, wildlife and fisheries departments at the CM’s House here on Sunday.

The chief minister said an effective monitoring system had been evolved under the Project Management Units (PMUs) to ensure quality work and timely execution of uplift projects.

He said the PMUs had improved efficiency of all departments, while the planning and development department was also extending consultancy services regarding management, and its role in preparation and approval of developmental schemes was commendable.

For the first time in Punjab’s history uplift projects were being completed as per international standards, he said and asked the departments to adopt an effective strategy and modern techniques to take forward the economic agenda of the government.

Pervaiz Elahi said a satellite hub was being established at a cost of Rs450 million to ensure access to Internet at low rates, while a Software Information Technology Park was another hallmark, which would expedite economic activities and help create employment opportunities.

He said police patrolling posts were being automated to improve their performance as well as maintain criminals’ record properly and 1124 Helpline being set up to help out the masses.

He said the obsolete system of land and revenue record was being replaced with a new management information system which would remove the people’s problems of property mutation, documentation and other related matters. He directed the IT department to chalk out a strategy for its promotion.

He said the Agri Research Board was reconstituted so as to keep growers abreast of new researches to get enhanced yield.

The chief minister said the government was expanding the road network under a comprehensive programme that would definitely pace up trade activities.

He said the government’s effective programme to curb water theft was bearing fruit, and now the tail-end growers were getting adequate irrigation water. Hefty grants were being spent on canal lining, renovation of barrages and bricklining of watercourses to put the irrigation system on modern lines, he said.

The chief minister directed for promotion of cooperative fish farming that would not only fulfill the nutrition needs but also create a lot of jobs.

He also stressed the need for maximum plantation of trees and asked for developing the Lahore Zoo according to international standard.

Punjab IT Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, Agriculture Minister Arshad Lodhi, Forests Minister Ashfaqur Rahman, Chief Secretary Salman Siddique and secretaries of relevant departments were also present, while P&D chairman Suleman Ghani gave a briefing to the chief minister.—APP