CM Office cuts annual expenses by Rs96m

Buzdar says people have first right over resources

LAHORE:

Punjab government has significantly reduced the annual expenses of Chief Minister Office from Rs239 million in the financial year 2017-18 to Rs143 million in 2020-21. A comparison shared by the CM Office showed that Rs42 million was spent on the maintenance of its vehicles in 2017-18, while the amount spent in the last financial year was Rs15 million.

The amount spent on entertainment and gifts by the CM Office from Rs90 million to Rs44 million and fuel Rs35 million to Rs27 million. Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said in a statement that the culture of luxurious expenditures had been eliminated. “The former governments mercilessly utilised the national exchequer but we are the custodians of every single penny of government resources.” He said the people and not the elite had the first right over the national resources. He stated that the elite and mafia had together looted the resources of the country in the name of security and construction and repair of private residences.

These practices had also been curbed, he claimed. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Buzdar said Punjab government would provide Rs400 billion for the universal healthcare programme. The launch of the Naya Pakistan Sehat Card will not only reduce the pressure on government hospitals but also ensure the growth of the private health sector. He said the Sehat Card programme had been launched in Lahore, Dera Ghazi Khan and Sahiwal divisions. It will be launched in Rawalpindi division on January 20, Faisalabad on February 9 and Multan February 22. The project will be launched in Bahawalpur division on March 2, Gujranwala March 22 and Sargodha March 31.

The chief minister said the number of hospital beds available under the healthcare programme had been increased from 10,000 to 30,000 by raising the number of government and private hospitals on the panel from 43 to 150. Naya Pakistan Sehat Card will be used in the treatment of deadly diseases including cancer, heart problems, hepatitis, liver ailment, TB and AIDS, as well for emergency cases and fractures. The chief minister said about 115 million people of 30 million families would have access to free medical treatment worth Rs1 million by the end of March. In another statement, the chief minister said administrative measures taken by the government had resulted in stabilising the prices of essential commodities.

He said those who created hindrances in national progress would gain nothing. The opposition could not hoodwink people anymore with blame game, false promises and propaganda, he added. In another development, the Chief Minister’s Special Assistant Hasaan Khawar announced that 500 sports grounds were being constructed in the province to attract the youth towards positive activities in every nook and corner of the province. Addressing and event at Aleem Dar Academy, he said providing employment opportunities to the youth was the vision of the prime minister and private investment was being encouraged to keep the wheel of economy rolling. He acknowledged the contribution of Chinese investors in stabilising the industry and increasing exports. He said effective measures and legislation were being initiated to provide a safe and conducive environment to investors.