Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Friday dispatched ten trucks loaded with quilts and shawls for earthquake-stricken areas of Balochistan.
Talking to the media he said so far relief items worth Rs200 million have been sent to earthquake victims of Balochistan while a sum of Rs350 million has been deposited in the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
He said that 30 thousand quilts and warm shawls costing Rs92.4 million are being sent through 100 trucks to the calamity-hit people under winter package.
The first consignment of quilts and warm shawls worth Rs9.2 million was dispatched to Balochistan through ten trucks from the provincial metropolis on Friday while 90 trucks laden with similar supplies are being sent from Rahim Yar Khan.
He said that the government and people of Punjab have not left their Baloch brethren alone in the hour of distress.
Food inflation
Responding to a question about the prices of essential items, the CM said that departments concerned are making coordinated efforts for stabilising prices. He said an effective mechanism has been adopted to control prices.
He said that a programme has been evolved to give one thousand rupees a month through Khidmat Card to 1.3 million destitute families of the province from January in the first phase.
Education reforms
Meanwhile presiding a meeting to review the Punjab Schools Reforms Roadmap, Shahbaz said attendance of students and teachers in schools would be checked through digital technology, Shahbaz said directing the Punjab IT Board to prepare a system application for this purpose.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2013.