S Punjab to get 32% job quota: CM
The CM paid a surprise visit to central jail DG Khan and inquired about the inmates regarding provision of facilities. PHOTO: EXPRESS
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has announced to reserve a 32% quota for South Punjab in provincial employment. He has also approved the proposal of adding Bhakar and Mianwali districts’ quota after which the reserved quota will be raised to 35%.
Speaking to the media persons in Dera Ghazi Khan on Wednesday, Buzdar said the past rulers did nothing for backward areas but the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has diverted the development process towards backward and remote areas to change the destiny of the people.
Responding to a question, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan would soon inaugurate the South Punjab Secretariat in Bahawalpur. He revealed rules of business of the South Punjab Secretariat will also be notified at the earliest to make all the departments of South Punjab fully functional.
A 66% increase has been made in the development budget and no one can point a finger at the transparency of the budget, he stressed.
Buzdar said a 122-kilometre long Chowki Wala to Musakhel Road is being constructed to connect Punjab with Balochistan and added that this Rs10 billion project will decrease the distance by 100km.
Read South Punjab districts given rights: CM
Meanwhile, four rescue stations are being set up at Sakhi Sarwar, Fort Munro, Chotti and Lund besides starting supply of electricity in Koh-e-Suleman and other areas, he added.
The different roads of DG Khan will be repaired and Sorra Dam will be started in Koh-e-Suleman this year while the feasibility report of four other dams is also ready, he continued.
Earlier, the chief minister inspected the road construction project at Chowki Wala where he was briefed about the project.
The road from Chowki Wala to Musakhel Balochistan will be constructed in two phases via Zain, Barthi. Talking on this occasion, the CM vowed to change the destiny of the area adding that past rulers did nothing for the backward areas.
“Those making decisions in Lahore were totally unaware of the problems of the remote areas,” he lamented, adding that he was visiting every district and tehsil to take stock of the situation.
The chief minister was told that a 122-km long road would be fully carpeted and Rs890 million would be spent on a 17-km portion of Chowki Wala to atomic energy. The federal government has approved Rs8.99 billion for a 105-km long portion from atomic energy to the Chappar area of Balochistan.
Buzdar inaugurated projects of Rs243 million for DG Khan including synthetic turf hockey ground at city park being completed with an amount of Rs133 million.
The CM also inaugurated the city park and Jinnah family park projects being completed with a cost of Rs47 million. He performed the inauguration ceremony of the revamping project of the border military police inn at DG Khan completed with a cost of Rs15 million. He inaugurated the revamped officers club, as well.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 8th, 2021.