LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has approved posting an additional deputy commissioner along with relevant staff in Murree on 19 new posts as the budget has been approved in this regard.

Chairing a meeting of the cabinet standing committee for finance and development, the chief minister also approved to appoint an SP rank officer for the new Kohsar Division in Murree along with the approval of development schemes for Faisalabad valuing around Rs3 billion.

As much as Rs2.3 billion would be spent on 179 schemes of water supply and sanitation, etc. The meeting also approved 27 roads’ repair schemes with an expenditure of Rs368 million.

The chief minister also approved five higher education projects of Rs248 million along with the upgrade of the Samundri THQ hospital with Rs50 million.

The meeting was attended by Adviser Dr Salman Shah, SACM Hasaan Khawar, chief secretary, SMBR and secretaries of relevant departments. Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht and industries minister Mian Aslam Iqbal participated through video link.

FREE MASK CAMPAIGN: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar inaugurated a free mask campaign at his office to save citizens from coronavirus. He gave away masks to Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, Law Minister Raja Basharat, chief secretary and IG police for distribution among the staff. SACM Hasaan Khawar, secretary of information, Lahore commissioner and others were also present.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said special masks would be effective in safety from smog and coronavirus.

He stressed that every citizen needed to ensure wearing facemasks and added that a free mask distribution campaign had been started in selected areas of Lahore in the first phase. He said the free masks would be distributed across the province in different phases. The school students would be provided masks on a priority basis.

“Every citizen will be provided washable corona masks and these will also be distributed at checkpoints to ensure the equitable provision of face masks,” he said.

Mr Buzdar announced offering internships to universities’ students for public sensitization. In this regard, he said, religious scholars, artists and known public figures would also hold flag marches to raise awareness.

Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid lauded the free mask campaign. Chief Secretary Kamran Afzal opined that the habit of wearing facemasks would have to be adopted again, adding that the firm had donated 10 containers of 20 million washable masks.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2022