LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government on Tuesday unveiled its six-point 100 Days Agenda to bring reforms in the province, including spearheading the establishment of south Punjab province on “administrative lines”.

It appears that the PTI has deviated from the commitment it had made with the PML-N lawmakers who had joined the party under the banner of ‘Junoobi Punjab Suba Mahaz (JPSM)’ ahead of 2018 general election with a demand for a separate province.

The JPSM merger with the PTI was done under the deal that the party would set in motion the procedures to create a new province in south Punjab within 100 days of coming to power, if it formed the government.

The PTI’s agenda envisages different initiatives, including transforming governance, strengthening the federation, revitalising economic growth, uplifting agriculture and conserving water, revolutionising social services and ensuring national security.

It aims to transform governance by bridging the gap between the government and the citizens through reforms in the local government system to make it more representative and accountable and improve policing by freeing the force of political interference.

It wants to strengthen the federation to establish south Punjab province on administrative lines, expansion of Sehat (health) Insaf Card for the poorest of the poor and alleviation of poverty, revitalising economic growth by adopting TVET and skill building strategy to create jobs for the youth.

As per the agenda, the government will develop a labour policy to safeguard rights of workers and to revive manufacturing sector and facilitate rapid growth of SME sector. It will also develop a tourism policy and launch new tourist destinations, besides a policy framework to build five million housing units for the middle and lower income segments of society.

The government will revive the agriculture sector and conserve water by adopting a policy for improving productivity of agriculture and livestock sectors, enhance private sector market through legal reforms and develop markets expansion plans. It will incentivise establishment of SMEs for agriculture/food processing, adopt a plan for achieving self-sufficiency in milk and milk-based products and expand meat production. It will also adopt Punjab Water Policy and Groundwater Act and develop and implement Provincial Water Master Plan. Real time water flow monitoring pilot system will be launched.

The government wants to revolutionise social services by adopting new education policy in Punjab, finalise and launch new Provincial Health Strategy, take initiatives for provision of clean drinking water, launch Women Empowerment Package 2018 and Clean and Green Punjab Campaign.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2018