LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad on Wednesday called on Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and discussed the country’s situation in the context of global scenario.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to promote the proceedings of Punjab Assembly through mutual coordination. They also discussed legislative matters relating to prison reforms. Maryam directed the speaker to ensure the participation of both treasury and opposition members in the legislative process.
The chief minister described the Apna Khet, Apna Rozgar scheme as the achievement of her entire team and said the Punjab government was introducing new public welfare projects everyday. She said the government’s focus was now on underdeveloped areas where electric buses were being introduced on roads and modern agricultural machinery was being brought to improve the farming sector. Maryam said the Apna Khet, Apna Rozgar scheme had provided land and livelihood opportunities to 30,000 unemployed families.
Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz has decided to launch the Apna Ghar, Mehfooz Ghar programme under the existing Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar initiative to make homes across the province safer and prevent tragedies like the Kahna incident. The meeting considered introducing two new categories under the Apna Ghar, Mehfooz Ghar programme.
Under the proposed programme, interest-free loans of Rs500,000 will be provided for the renovation and strengthening of houses with weak roofs or dilapidated structures. Interest-free loans of Rs1 million will be offered in easy instalments for constructing an additional storey or floor.
The meeting was informed that interest-free loans had been approved for more than 180,000 homeless families under the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar programme, while loans had already been disbursed to 170,000 families. An amount of Rs217.8 billion has been released for the programme, and around 27,500 houses are in the final stages of completion. Maryam directed that the second instalment under the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar programme be released within three days. The chief minister directed that the process for obtaining housing loans be made easier. She said the 2,000 homeless families, which received free plots from the government, would also be provided loans for house construction.
Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz paid tribute to the family of Burhan Wani, a prominent leader of the freedom movement in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), on the anniversary of his martyrdom.
