Lahore - Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar Tuesday laid the foundation stone of 15 development schemes of billions of rupees for the Dera Ghazi Khan district.

He inaugurated three projects of Rs62.60 crore by unveiling the plaque at Circuit House, DG Khan. These projects include a protective embankment to save the adjoining localities from river erosion, the Ghajini escape project and a protective embankment worth Rs41.80 crore on the right side of Sindh River.

He also inaugurated the Pull Dat Chowk beautification project of Rs1.78 crore along with the inauguration of Shehr-e-Khamoshan, Model Graveyard, Kotla Sikhani, Gharbi DG Khan having the value of Rs19 crore.

Also, the CM laid the foundation stone of 12 projects of Rs9 billion for DG Khan including a Mother and Child Hospital valuing Rs2.10 billion, construction of 133km long roads through Koh-e-Suleman improvement project with 2.12 billion and building of emergency and OPD Block in DG Khan Teaching Hospital with Rs1.91 billion.

Buzdar says no compromise will be made on quality of development projects

The academic block and the hostel will be built with Rs1 billion in Ghazi University, DG Khan. Rs16 crore will be spent to establish Government Associate Boys College, DG Khan. Ghazi Park DG Khan will be restored with Rs3 crore while Rs11.80 crore will be spent to provide facilities in synthetic turf hockey ground, city park. Rs39.60 crore will be spent to restore the Shoria Dhingana and Darkhaast system of the Irrigation Department while a dual road from Pull Dat to Railway Crossing will be constructed with Rs39.29 crore. Restoration of the Tehsil Complex will be completed with Rs5 crore, and Rs15 crore will be spent for the completion of the District Education Complex. Rs63.61 crore will be spent to construct a Police Training School.

Later, the CM was briefed about development schemes during a meeting held at the commissioner’s office in DG Khan where the CM made it clear that delay in the completion of development schemes was intolerable. He directed that transparency should be ensured, adding that no compromise would be made on the quality of development projects. “I am personally monitoring the development schemes,” he said and pointed out that southern Punjab was given more resources than before. “The public money will be spent on public welfare and the officers should fulfil their responsibility in this regard,” he averred.

The CM expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of DG Khan Solid Waste Management Company and regretted that unnecessary delay was made in the procurement of required machinery despite the provision of funds. “A report must be presented by identifying those responsible for delay in this regard,” he added. The CM also expressed displeasure over the slow pace of work in some development schemes under the DG Khan Development Package and made it clear that officers should give results. “The southern Punjab secretary should go to the field to review projects and vacant posts in DG Khan Teaching Hospital should be filled immediately,” he said.

The CM announced that the southern Punjab forensic lab would be set up in DG Khan and Rs1 billion would be utilised for an off-grid solution to provide cheap electricity. Alongside, the CM pointed out that 130,000 posts would be filled in phases. “Corruption is intolerable in development schemes’ funds, and the southern Punjab secretary will be held responsible in case of corruption,” he noted.

The NHA officials briefed the CM about the construction and repair of the Indus Highway Taunsa and Sakhi Sarwar Bridge. The parliamentarians thanked the CM for giving a record development budget to DG Khan.

Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, parliamentarians including Sardar Muhammad Khan Leghari, Sardar Ahmed Ali Dreshak, Sardar Javed Akhtar Khan Lund, Khawaja Daud Sulemani, Sardar Mohiyuddin Khan Khosa, Hanif Pitafi and Dr Shahina Najeeb Khosa were present.

ACS Home, ASC (Southern Punjab), Addl IG, secretaries of the southern Punjab secretariat and others attended the meeting.