LAHORE, April 20: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has hinted at allocation of huge funds in next year’s budget for the development of basic infrastructure in various cities of the province.

He was presiding over a meeting here on Sunday, which had been convened to review development projects in the province.

The government intends to build roads, bridges, flyovers, underpasses as well as schools, colleges and hospitals using its own resources as well as federal government grants and World Bank and Asian Development Bank loans.

It plans to build roads, underpasses and flyovers in major cities like Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Multan and Faisalabad and farm-to-market roads in backward areas.

Development activities under the constituency based Tamir-i-Punjab Programme would be carried on separately. Schemes under this project are being identified by MPAs to the tune of Rs10 million per constituency.

The chief minister asked the planning and development board, and the finance, communication and works departments to prepare development projects according to local requirements. They must also consult the district governments and members of the Punjab and national assemblies concerned.

He said a quality road network would be created in the province for provision of efficient transport facilities to the people and promotion of trade activities.

The chief minister said better infrastructure would also boost industrialization and benefit the agriculture sector. Foolproof arrangements had been made to ensure quality in development projects, which would be completed within the specified time and in a transparent manner, he said.

Among others, the meeting was also attended by the Punjab ministers for finance and communication and works, and the chief secretary.