LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that the south Punjab people have equal right to the fruits of development, and that was why the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has launched composite development programme for the region.
In a statement issued here on Monday, he regretted that the past governments fooled people of south Punjab districts through hollow slogans and wasted the resources, meant for the region, on projects of choice. The funds for south Punjab were transferred to other projects by imposing a cut on the budget of that underdeveloped area of the province, he added.
The CM said a separate budget had been prepared this year for progress and prosperity of the people of south Punjab. Providing details, he said a huge sum of Rs 189 billion had been earmarked for south Punjab while ring-fencing those 35 per cent funds.
Meanwhile, a separate Annual Development Programme (ADP) book of south Punjab had also been compiled and the foundation-stone of the South Punjab Secretariat would be laid soon in Bahawalpur after Multan, he added. Likewise, the rules of business for the South Punjab Secretariat had also been finalised, which would be notified soon, he said.
Together with it, it had been decided in principle to allocate 32 per cent quota for south Punjab youth in provincial recruitment, he said. A proposal was also under consideration to include the peripheral districts of Mianwali and Bhakkar in this quota, the CM disclosed. After this, the quota would swell to 35 per cent, he continued. The PTI government has started numerous projects in south Punjab to meet the aspirations of the people and it would go to every extent to fulfil its commitment with the south Punjab, added the CM.