LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht said that the present government made provincial budget with a different philosophy and inclusive growth instead of the past governments who established infrastructure without considering the judicious use of it.
He was addressing a seminar on development, poverty rate and food security organized by Government College University Lahore.
In the budget the government has allocated Rs 86 billion on civil works in 16 most backward tehsils of the province. These funds will resolve the problems of clean drinking water supply, sanitation problems and construction and repair of link roads which will reduce the backwardness at the regional level, he said. The District Development Program has been selected keeping in view the labour consumption. The main purpose of establishing River Ravi Development Authority is to improve groundwater level and install water treatment plants to provide clean water with additional economic benefits of the project, he added.
He said that progressive approach is being promoted to enhance agricultural productivity. The use of modern technology and improvement in extension services will ensure increase in farmers revenue, he added.
The minister said that the success of the government is not only the provision of funds but also their efficient use which is the first priority of the present government. The government is trying to lift 5 million families across the poverty line through a comprehensive plan to provide services from birth to education and from education to employment throughout their life cycle, he added.
He invited the seminar participants to read the budget documents and said that the budget was prepared keeping in view development needs of the province alongside poverty reduction and food security.
He further said that pulses have been imported for 40 years while now the efforts are being made to meet the nutritional needs of the country with domestic production. He said that during covid-19 lifestyle of the people was changed along with food needs. Further, imbalance in demand and supply created shortage and resulted in food inflation not only in Pakistan but globally, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Provincial Minister for Agriculture Hussain Jahanian Gardezi emphasized the need to increase investment in the agricultural sector to reduce inflation. He said that agriculture grown 2.7 per cent this year while the farmers were paid higher prices of their crops. He said that sustainable development in the production sector is a matter of urgency.
Prof. Dr. Asghar Rizvi in his address appreciated the efforts and involvement of stakeholders in the field of agriculture in modernization of it. Prof. Dr. Sohail Malik said that growth rate in policy making should be determined by impact rather than statistics. He said the universities could be used for monitoring and evaluation to get better results. Further, the university students can also play a more effective role for extension services in agriculture, he added.
P&D representative Khalid Sultan appreciated Dr. Sohail’s suggestions. Dr. Farooq Azam called for the establishment of educational zones like industrial zones. Dr. Sarfraz stressed the need to increase the number of trained labourers in information technology.
Later, the provincial minister planted a tree at Government College and inaugurated a new squash court.