Future prospects: ‘Chiniot mineral reserves hold great promise’

Chief minister reviews second phase of provision of financial assistance to flood-hit families

LAHORE:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Friday told a meeting of the cabinet committee that mineral reserves had been found in samples obtained through drilling in Chiniot.

Addressing the meeting, Sharif said Chinese engineers had samples of reserves obtained through drilling were encouraging.

The meeting gave approval to extension of lease of commercial properties and shops of the local government and amendments in the Punjab Criminal Prosecution Service Act 2006 and PHA Act 2012.

The meeting was told that amendments in the Labour Policy 2014 and Punjab Sanitation Policy would be put forward at the next meeting of provincial cabinet meeting for approval.

The chief minister said these mineral reserves would assist generations of Pakistanis in development efforts.

He said Pakistan was full of hidden, unexplored reserves but former governments had preferred to borrow from foreign banks.

The chief minister said a cabinet committee should be formed to explore for exploiting these reserves.

The chief minister also presided over a meeting to review the second phase of provision of financial assistance to flood-hit families.

Sharif said Rs9.75 billion had been distributed among 275,000 families.

He said payments would be completed within a few days.

He said the Punjab government had ensured rehabilitation of flood-hit families through a historic package of Rs16 billion.

He said international institutions had also distributed aid among flood victims in a transparent manner.

Sharif said negligence in disbursement of flood relief funds would not be tolerated.

Earlier, senior members of the Board of Revenue and the PDMA director general gave detailed briefings with regard to provision of financial assistance to the flood victims under Khadim-i-Punjab Imdadi Package in the second phase.

Local Government Department secretary threw light on important features of extension in lease policy.

Prosecution Department secretary spoke on amendments in the Punjab Criminal Prosecution Service Act 2006.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2014.