Punjab to focus on infra development projects

Lahore: Punjab government has shifted its focus from social sector spending to infrastructure development projects from now onwards to stimulate economic activity in the province.

Sources in the Planning and Development (P&D) Board said that a review meeting of first half of the fiscal year 2009-10, has suggested the policymakers to shift their attention to infrastructure projects, including roads construction and irrigation.

It is learnt from reliable sources that the Chief Secretary Punjab, for the first time in the development history of Punjab, chaired the meeting on January 11.

Prior to it, either the Chairman P&D Board or the Chief Minister himself has been chairing such meetings. The Chief Secretary Punjab, said sources, urged the development planners to shift focus on roads and irrigation projects more than social sector projects. It is further learnt that the project of Lahore Ring Road has already been handed over to the Commissioner Lahore to expedite construction work.

The department has allocated Rs 24 billion for the project during the current fiscal. However, only 10 percent of the total allocation have been spent on the project during first half of the fiscal year. But the Commissioner Lahore is now adamant to spend rest of 90 percent during later half of the fiscal year.

Similarly, the P&D Board also called the concerned engineers to expedite development work on smaller dams. Sources further said, a total of 57 small dams are constructed in the province so far and another 25 projects are in the pipeline.