Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said on Sunday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has been making all out efforts to facilitate the common man in the country.
He said that the government was going to launch ‘Food Support Programme’ for low income groups within the next few days under which a targeted subsidy would be provided through Ration Cards like Kissan cards, Social Security Cards and Health Cards.
Addressing a public gathering after inauguration of different uplift schemes in NA-108 here tonight, he said that Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to materialize the dreams of small income groups of having their own house.
He said that 57,000 applications had so far been received by the commercial banks, for about Rs 200 billion loans, for low-cost houses. He said that so far loans worth Rs 180 billion have been approved and Rs 19 billion were disbursed among people. He said that this was a unique step of the incumbent government which would materialize the dream of the common man of having own house, land and roof.
Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said that like KPK, Sehat Insaf cards would also be issued to the entire population of the Punjab province by end of current year by the Punjab government. The card holder could get health facilities up to Rs.1 million during one year from the doctor or hospital of their own choice, he said.
He said that the government was fully aware about inflation in the country, adding that the 50-year record of hike in prices got broken at world level. He said that the price of petrol per barrel had risen from $40 dollar to 85 dollars. The rate of a container of cooking oil had risen from $500 dollar to 1200 dollars in the international market. He said that the government was not charging Rs 50 tax on per liter petrol from people like former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. “We are providing maximum relief in petroleum prices to people by reducing taxes”, he added.
Farrukh Habib said that the PTI government had revived the textile and power looms sector, adding that the country’s textile exports were increasing and record taxes were being deposited by the exporters and industrialists. He said that farmers were prospering due to the policies of government.
He was also hopeful of sugarcane prices reduction as the crushing season will start in November.
He said that a considerable increase has also been witnessed in cotton crop in the country as its production increased from 6 million bales to 9.5 million bales. The production of maize increased by 18 percent and rice by 19 percent in the country, he said. He said that for the first time in the country’s history, olive trees were being planted and an amount of Rs 1 billion had been allocated for enhancing olive oil production.
Minister of State Farrukh Habib said that after 1967, no big dam was constructed by past governments but the PTI government was constructing 10 new dams including Diamer Dam, Bhasha Dam, Mohmand Dam and Dasu Hydropower Project. He said that 10,000 megawatt cheap electricity would be generated in the country after completion of the dams. He said that all sectors in the country including automobile, cement, engineering, construction and energy were flourishing and the country’s economy was strengthening.
He said that the PTI government believed in practical measures and improving the living standard of people in the country instead of raising hollow slogans.
Farrukh Habib said that development of his constituency and resolving outstanding issues of the people was among his top priorities. He said that funds of Rs 12 million would be spent on the construction of sewerage line from Ganesh Mills road to Shafi Chowk and Gyan Mills. He said that railway road would also be constructed after getting its NOC. He said that water filtration plants would be installed at every union council in constituency NA-108 adding that some of the plants had already been made functional.
“Neat and clean recreational environment is the right of people and more parks would be developed in the constituency to facilitate the people”.
He said that several steps had been taken for the development of district Faisalabad.
Earlier, Farrukh Habib inaugurated different uplift schemes costing Rs 70 million in constituency NA-108. The schemes included reconstruction of government civil dispensary in factory area, sewerage line from Ganesh Mills road to Shafi Chowk and Gyan Mills, carpet road from Aziz Colony & Lal Mills Chowk, PPC streets and various other uplift schemes in factory area and Sir Syed Town.
