LAHORE: In her message on the occasion of World Rural Development Day, Maryam Nawaz paid tribute to the role of rural communities in the country’s development, agricultural production and food security, saying that a strong rural economy is the guarantee of a developed Pakistan.
In her message, the Chief Minister said that the role of villages is fundamental in the development and prosperity of any country. From their key role in agriculture to the preservation of centuries-old traditions, villages are the soul of our society.
She said that the Punjab government is committed to empowering rural communities by providing them with education, skills, health and sustainable employment opportunities.
The government is paying special attention to providing education, health, clean water, modern agriculture and basic infrastructure in all rural areas of the province.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that villages have immense potential to strengthen food security, create economic opportunities and promote long-term stability, while investing in the rural population is in fact tantamount to laying the foundation for stronger and more resilient societies.
She said that for the first time, the Shatra Punjab program is fully operational in villages along with urban areas, while for the first time in history, the facility of electric buses is being extended to rural areas.
The Chief Minister said that the Apna Khet, Apna Rozgar scheme has been introduced only for unemployed people living in rural areas, in addition, work is underway on the Ideal Village Project to equip more than 2,400 villages with basic urban amenities, under which water filtration plants for clean water, parks and children’s play areas are being built.
He further informed that under the Local Roads Program, construction and repair of more than 3,300 kilometers of rural roads are underway through more than 1,500 projects, while under the Sohne Pind Punjab De Program, work is also being done on construction of paved streets in villages, rehabilitation of roads, establishment of children’s parks and tree plantation.
