CM stresses flood preparedness

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has ordered measures on a war footing to counter the risks of floods across the province.

Presiding over cabinet and departmental accountability sessions, she directed the relevant departments to utilise temporary tanks for rainwater harvesting and take urgent measures to address reduced water-carrying capacity of link canals.

According to an official statement, the irrigation department received conditional approval to hire staff as needed during flood emergencies as the CM commended the minister and secretary concerned for their performance during the floods this year.

During the floods, about 1.25 million patients were provided medical care through camps, Clinics on Wheels, field hospitals and a Clinics on Boats service.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz emphasised that proactive measures ahead of future floods were crucial.

She stressed the need for ensuring that "every drop of water is preserved and protected". The CM was also informed that the mines and minerals department had generated Rs33 billion in revenue, the highest in Punjab's history. In the sector, 17,655 workers received ration cards and Rs120 million was.transferred directly to them through more than 40,000 bank transactions.

Officials said digital monitoring had been launched to prevent harassment in special education centres and transport. A door-to-door enrollment campaign for children with special needs has begun and computer training for children aged 16 to 18 is under way.

Authorities concerned stated that the Punjab government had launched its first Community Health Inspector Programme with the inspectors collecting vital data on education, health, agriculture, socio-economic status and other indicators.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz ordered full-scale implementation of the programme at the earliest.

She also set the June 30, 2026 deadline to fully outsource 313 rural health centres in the province.

The session also marked the launch of Punjab Value Addition Financing for Pink Salt Project, under which interest-free loans of up to Rs50 million will be provided to investors in the Salt Range.