The Punjab Development Program (PDP) dashboard has been activated and Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique has directed the Secretary Local Government Board to take progress reports from the Municipal Officers Infrastructure (MOIs) every week. The Local Government Minister issued these instructions while presiding over a review meeting on PDP held at the Civil Secretariat. Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed Mian, Project Director Brigadier (retd) Asad Mahmood, Secretary Local Government Board and other officials were also present. The provincial minister reviewed the dashboard and issued necessary instructions, saying that “Maryum Nawaz’s Sohna (beautiful) Punjab” is a Rs 313 billion development program meant for 52 cities. "In the first phase, 7 million people will be provided with facilities like sewerage, parks, street lights”, elaborated minister. He said that 3397 kilometers of sewer lines will be laid in different cities under the PDP. "181 km long drains are being constructed for rainwater drainage. 33,160 number manhole covers will be provided for cities”, he added. Zeeshan Rafique said that underground tanks with a capacity of 34 million gallons will be constructed for rainwater storage.
The meeting decided to complete the construction of the approved water tanks before the next monsoon. The Minister said that under the program, the Punjab government will install street lights at 14,679 locations. He said that the wastewater treatment plants will have a capacity to treat 323 million liters of water. ” Moreover 117 disposal stations are being solarized in different cities”, he went on. Zeeshan Rafique warned that there will be no compromise on the goals of the “Mary Nawaz Ka Sohna Punjab” program. The performance of each MOI will be evaluated on the basis of progress in the PDP. "There is no room for laziness. Only lined pipes will be used in the entire project. The lining pipe has a lifespan of 100 years. There will be no need for frequent changes”, he figured out.
