‘Govt looking out for the poor’

He was addressing a group of parliamentarians at the chief minister’s house. National Assembly Members Hafeezur Rehman Khan Dareshak, Muhammad Talal Chaudhry, Rai Mansab Ali, Chaudhry Khalid Javed Waraich and Jamil Hassan Khan attended the meeting.

Sharif said the government had evolved a programme to provide targeted subsidies to families below the poverty line. As many as 1.3 million families in the lowest economic strata would be given Rs1,000 per month under the Punjab Khidmat Programme. It will be implemented from January 2014, he said.

“All possible resources would be utilised to lessen the economic burden on the poor and raise their standard of living,” he said.

He said a health insurance scheme would be launched to provide free health facilities to the poor. The chief minister said the health insurance scheme will initially be run in Hafizabad, Chakwal, Rajanpur and Layyah. Its scope would later be extended throughout the province under a phased programme.

The Punjab Rozgar Bank would be set up to provide jobs to the youth. Soft term loans for business start ups will also be given to the youth, he said.

Sharif said Rs12 billion were being utilised, under the Educational Endowment Fund Programme, to provide scholarships to more than 50,000 talented and deserving students. “The government has made sure that no student will be deprived of education due to financial constraints,” said the chief minister.

Sasta bazaars were held thrice a week in the province. People can buy essential items at cheap rates there, he said. “Officers have been directed to monitor rates at these markets. This has allowed the prices to stabilise,” Sharif said.

He said that land records were being computerised at a cost of Rs11 billion in 36 districts through the Land Record Information and Management System. Sharif said the project would be completed by 2014.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2013.