LAHORE:Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that coordinated and integrated economic policies were leading the province towards new era of progress, prosperity and economic development.

A record development budget of Rs 560 billion had been given for the financial year which was an increase of 66% compared with the previous year. The chief minister said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had given a roadmap based on real development.

Usman Buzdar said that elected representatives were consulted while preparing development programmes and under the public-private partnership, Rs 25 billion had been allocated for major development projects. He said that free health insurance would be ensured to 100% of the population of Punjab. He termed Universal Health Insurance Programme his government’s flagship programme.

Salaries and pensions of the government employees had been increased by 10% besides giving 25% special allowance to employees from grade 1 to 19.

He said that the opposition did not want development for the people of the province. In the past, there was progress on papers and people were deprived of the fruits of development. Wrong policies and self-exhibitory projects of the former rulers had bankrupted the province.

The PTI government, through its sustainable policies and hard work, had put the country in the right direction. The government had rectified the faults of former governments and taken difficult decisions in this regard which were yielding positive results.