Chief Sec Pubjab stressed development projects in South Punjab

Multan: CHIEF Secretary Punjab Nasir Mehmood Khosa has stressed the concerned departments that the ongoing projects included in the development programme of South Punjab be completed by June 30 at all costs, and more funds required for the completion of these projects be immediately released. 

He said this while presiding over a meeting held at Commissioner s office to review the development projects of Multan Division on Sunday. 

He said if any hurdle was faced for completion of these projects, it should be brought to his notice. He directed the administrative officers to monitor the development projects effectively and ensure utilisation of every penny of development funds in proper manner. He asked the Commissioner Multan to provide a list of those projects which could be completed by August 14. He disclosed that Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on his return from China would inspect these projects. Chief Secretary directed DCOs to utilise all their resources and powers for achieving the revenue targets and evolve an effective strategy for recovering the outstanding amounts. He directed that District Committees be activated against Qabza Groups and all agriculture and commercial state land should be retrieved from illegal occupants. He said the process of removing encroachments from sides of the highways be given priority. 

Nasir Khosa directed DCOs and Deputy Directors Food of the four districts that such facilities should be provided to the growers of wheat in connection with wheat procurement, so that they should prefer to sell wheat at the procurement centres of the Food Department. He directed that no ban be imposed on the movement of wheat and wheat should be purchased at the rate fixed by the government. He said that bardana be issued to the farmers as per record of Girdawari and Bardana for not more than five days otherwise there would be a rush at other procurement centres. 

Commissioner Multan Syed Muhammad Ali Gardazi gave a briefing to Chief Secretary regarding development projects and informed that the pace of work on all development projects were expedited, therefore, the projects would be completed at the end of the current year. While presenting a review of receipts, he said the Revenue Officers had been mobilised and revenue targets would be achieved at all costs. 

Deputy Director Food Asif Iqbal, while giving a briefing to Chief Secretary, informed that the government had fixed the target of 5 lakh and 90 thousand tons wheat for Multan Division and all arrangements, including supply of Bardana and setting up wheat procurement centres, had been completed. He further informed that Bardana would be issued from April 18 while procurement of wheat was being started from April 20. Chief Secretary directed DCOs to complete the first phase of census 100 percent by April 19 and efforts be made that no area be was left without census. He informed that funds had been released for this purpose which would be provided within few days. DGMDA Syed Tasdeeq Hussain Bukhari, DCO Zahid Akhtar Zaman, DCO Khanewal Rashid Mehmood, DCO Vehari Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry, DCO Lodhran Ghulam Farid and other senior officers of the concerned departments participated in the meeting. DCOs of four districts informed the meeting that the process of census was going on as per schedule. They informed that 70 percent work had been completed while the remaining work would be completed within few days.