Rs.80b saved through Maryam’s transparent governance style

Governance model distinguished by 100 pc transparency, 100 pc quality Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said that 100 percent transparency and 100 percent quality are the hallmark of her governance model. She stated that in the largest development initiative in Pakistan’s history, the Punjab Development Programme Rs80 billion has been saved through e-tendering. The Chief Minister maintained that public funds are a sacred trust and every penny must be protected and spent judiciously. She added that roads, streets and neighbourhoods cannot be left dug up, as such negligence causes serious inconvenience to the public. Chairing a video-link review meeting, the Chief Minister set June 30 as the deadline for the completion of all sewerage and drainage projects. A province-wide ban has been imposed on leaving excavation work incomplete or roads open after digging. She directed that all manholes be covered with nets/meshes at the earliest, and agreed to engage traders and civil society in the manhole safety initiative. During the briefing, it was informed that desilting works and underground water recharge systems have been incorporated into underground storage water tanks. Geo-tagging of 838,555 manholes across the province has been completed, while installation of protective nets/meshes is underway. Over 3,000 manholes have already been fitted with nets/meshes. For the first time, desilting of drainage channels and sewerage lines has been carried out in 41 cities of Punjab, removing 550 tons of silt and sludge. The meeting was further informed that 91 jetting and suction machines, 77 desilting machines and 100 dewatering sets are being deployed across the province. Under the Punjab Development Programme, work on Phase I and Phase II is progressing at a fast pace with an estimated cost of Rs204 billion. In Sargodha, Dera Ghazi Khan, Gujrat, Okara, Jhang, Multan and Sialkot, over 57 percent work under Phase I has been completed, while in Jhelum, Hafizabad, Sahiw