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Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Rs40bn uplift plans for Bahawalpur division approved
LAHORE: The Punjab Local Government and Community Development Department has approved development schemes worth over Rs 40 billion for four cities in Bahawalpur division which include Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalnagar and Hasilpur. In this regard, Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq chaired a meeting; Punjab Local Government Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Mian, Special Secretary Asia Gul and Additional Secretary Ahmer Kaifi were present in the meeting while the Commissioner Bahawal-pur, concerned deputy commissioners and municipal officers participated through a video link. While addressing the meeting, the Minister said that under the supervision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, continuous progress is being made in the Punjab Cities Development Programme. He urged the deputy commissioners to pay special attention to the master planning of the cities; 'the deputy commissioners will be responsible for completing the projects under the Punjab Cities Development Progra-mme,' he added. He further said that under this mega project, not only will the existing infrastructure be restored in the cities, but it will also be further expanded. 'Programme Implemen-tation Units (PIUs) will be formed to ensure quality work in each scheme, while Punjab Municipal Development Fund Company (PMDFC) will be responsible for third-party validation,' he added. He added that special attention should be paid to the construction of parks, street lights and rainwater storage tanks. He also directed the officials to review the cantonment areas of Bahawalpur, stressing if there is any dirt road or broken road in the cantonment, it should also be taken into consideration. During the meeting, it was decided to increase the capacity and number of disposal stations in Bahawalpur city. The Minister, while directing the deputy commissioner to review PC-1 for Rahim Yar Khan, said that all disposal stations in every city will be shifted to solar energy. 'It is gratifying that solarisation in Bahawalpur alone will save about Rs 20 million on monthly electricity bills. With an annual saving of Rs 240 million, many more civic amenities can be provided,' he observed. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Faisalabad Division: Rs48.55bn schemes approved for 7 cities
LAHORE: The Punjab Local Government and Community Development Department has approved schemes worth Rs48.55 billion for seven cities of the Faisalabad division under the Chief Minister Punjab Cities Development Programme (CMPCDP). The proposed schemes involve rehabilitation of streets, link roads, sewage, drains, street lights and parks in Chak Jhumra, Jaranwala, Tandlianwala, Jhang, Kamalia, Toba Tek Singh and Gojra. It also approved a 10-kilometre extension of the approved sewerage system of Gojra. A steering committee headed by Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq will monitor the entire project. In this connection, the Minister chaired a meeting on Wednesday; Punjab Local Government Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Mian, Special Secretary Asia Gul, and Additional Secretary Ahmer Kaifi were present, while concerned deputy commissioners and municipal chief officers participated through a video link. Moreover, Punjab Municipal Development Fund Company (PMDFC) Managing Director Syed Zahid Aziz briefed the meeting minister about the development made so far. While addressing the meeting, the Minister said that CMPCDP is a unique project under which schemes are being launched in 61 cities from the new financial year. 'In the next phase, the problems of sewage and urban flooding that have existed for decades in over 110 cities will be solved. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered to meet the needs of urban populations until 2050 under this project. For the first time, such a huge investment is being made in cities, which will bring a new beautiful face to Punjab and get rid of dirty streets and expired sewage systems,' he added. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
‘Development projects will be launched in 66 cities of Punjab'
LAHORE: Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq has said that development projects under the Chief Minister Punjab Cities Development Programme (CMPCDP) will be launched in 66 cities from the next fiscal year; it has been designed keeping in mind the needs of cities till 2050. He expressed these views while chairing a meeting held on Tuesday to review the CMPCDP. Punjab Local Government Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Mian and Additional Secretary Ahmar Kaifi were also present at the meeting while deputy commissioners of various districts participated in the meeting through a video link. On this occasion, Syed Zahid Aziz, Managing Director of Punjab Municipal Development Fund Company (PMDFC) gave a briefing on the Punjab Cities Development Programme. The Minister further said that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved the provision of basic amenities in all cities, and the dirt streets will be paved on the lines of the Lahore Development Programme. 'Under this mega project, along with the repair of link roads in the cities, a sewage system will also be developed; lining sewer pipes will be used, which would remain effective for 100 years. Moreover, storm water drainage and storage are a special part of this programme and in the next phase, an additional 110 cities will be brought under the purview,' he added. He directed the deputy commissioners to ensure the implementation of the steering committee's decisions, stating that contracts for the project should be awarded only through e-tendering. 'Quality and transparency should be kept in mind at every stage,' he added. Rafiq said that only the available manpower should be utilised for the Punjab Cities Development Programme; however, the services of technical experts may be obtained additionally. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
30-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
66 cities of Punjab to be uplifted in new financial year
LAHORE: Under the Chief Minister Cities Development Programme, the Punjab government has decided to launch development schemes in 66 cities of Punjab in the new financial year. Under this programme, all dirt roads will be paved or repaired, along with the construction and repair of connection roads, and a comprehensive sewage system will be introduced. Moreover, disposal stations will be solarised while sewerage problems will be solved by keeping in mind the needs of the population in 2050. In addition to rainwater drainage, storage tanks will also be built, and restoration of parks will also be included in the project. In this connection, the copies of PC-1 have been sent to the relevant municipal bodies. In this regard, Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq issued instructions while chairing a meeting through a video link on Thursday. Punjab Local Government Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Mian, Additional Secretary Ahmar Kaifi, PMDFC MD and Deputy Commissioners of various districts participated. The Minister directed the concerned deputy commissioners to keep the model of the Lahore Development Programme in mind while working on the development schemes. He clarified that there will be no additional recruitment for the Cities Development Programme except for technical experts, and thus, only the available human resources will be utilised. 'The Punjab Local Government Department will complete this mega project in collaboration with Public Health Engineering,' he added. Rafiq said that in the next phase, 110 more cities will be included in the programme; in every city, all dirt roads will be paved or repaired, along with the construction and repair of connection roads, and a comprehensive sewage system will be introduced. 'In this connection, the copies of PC-1 have been sent to the relevant municipal bodies,' he added. He said the deputy commissioners have also been made members of the steering committee. He observed that in the past, only partial schemes were completed in cities; however, for the first time, an end-to-end solution for sanitation will be provided. He directed that transparency should be taken care of while implementing the project on the timeline. On this occasion, the Secretary said that e-tendering and digital payment methods should be implemented in the programme. He directed that before the construction of the streets, sui gas, electricity companies and cable network institutions should complete their work. 'After the completion of the work,' he warned, 'digging will be prohibited without the NOC of the district administration.' He said the use of safe and durable sewer pipes is the highlight of this program, adding that the benefits of HTP-lined sewer pipes will last for the next 100 years. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
13-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
CM forms body to oversee Punjab cities' uplift programme
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has formed a provincial steering committee headed by Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq to oversee the cities development programme. Among the other members are Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Zeeshan Malik and Punjab Local Government Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Mian. The steering committee established at the provincial level will also take necessary decisions in consultation with the local elected representatives while the steering committee in each district will also work under the chairmanship of the deputy commissioner. Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq's disclosed this during his visit to the Punjab Municipal Development Fund Company (PMDFC) to review the progress on the programme on Monday. Punjab Local Government Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Mian and Additional Secretary Ahmar Sohail Kaifi were also present. On this occasion, PMDFC MD Syed Zahid Aziz gave a briefing on the cities development programme. On this occasion, he said the survey for development works has been completed in all the small and big cities of the 35 districts of Punjab. 'This is another mega project of the Punjab government, under which the construction and repair of sewerage, drainage, rainwater storage, parks and streets in urban areas will be completed, while the drainage system will be converted to solar energy,' he added. He observed that the chief minister is following the province's policy of uniform development; in the first phase, 59 cities will be upgraded, and in the second phase, 110 cities will be upgraded. He averred that the project which is devised with the support of the World Bank will end the problems of basic services in cities that have been going missing for years. 'The chief minister has ordered the completion of the project in 50 cities by next year. The PMDFC should complete the PC-1 of each city during the current month, and the steering committee established at the provincial level will also take necessary decisions in consultation with the local elected representatives,' he added. He averred that a drainage by-system is being introduced in every city for the first time, laying special sewer lines will protect groundwater from possible contamination. On this occasion, the secretary, while directing to keep in mind the model of Lahore Development Programme, said that most of the available human resources will be utilised for the cities development programme and only new recruitment will be made for essential posts. He expressed his determination that the entire project will be completed within two years, which will meet the municipal needs of the cities for the next 25 years. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
