LAHORE, Feb 2: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said the provision of buses to colleges at a cost of Rs2 billion for facilitating the builders of the nation is a gift of the Punjab government for them.

He said the provision of buses for the male and female students of colleges was such a welfare programme that the next government would also continue it.

The chief minister was addressing a function held for the provision of buses to male and female students of government colleges at Model Town here on Saturday.

Adviser to Chief Minister Zaeem Hussain Qadri, MNA Saira Afzal Tarar, PML-N leader Shaista Pervaiz Malik, the Secretary Higher Education and heads of educational institutions attended the function.

Shahbaz said it was the responsibility of principals of colleges to make proper arrangements for the maintenance of these buses.

The chief minister gave away keys of buses to heads of educational institutions. Ninety buses were handed over to principals of girls’ colleges whereas 10 buses to boys’ colleges.

He said that 100 air-conditioned buses imported from China had been provided to colleges and the next government would complete the public project.

He said the ratio of 90/10 had been fixed for the provision of buses for the convenience of girl students.

The chief minister said the Metro Bus Service was being inaugurated on Feb 10 which would bring a revolution in the transport sector.

Earlier, Secretary Higher Education Dr Ijaz Munir said that 81 buses had been provided to educational institutions last year while around 100 buses were given to colleges this year.

He said that 65 new colleges had been set up during the last four-and-a-half years while 105 colleges were under construction.

He said that seven new universities had been established in the province.