Punjab Government to spend one billion on graveyards

Lahore: Provincial Minister for Law and Local Government, Rana Sanaullah Khan has said that Punjab government has released funds of one billion rupees for the improvement of graveyards. He said that funds have been provided as per ratio of the population of all districts. He said that besides construction of boundary wall of graveyards, janazgah, provision of potable water and water for ablution, proper light arrangements will also be made in the night. He said that the well-to-do people should also play their role for improvement of graveyards. He said that steps would be taken for retrieving graveyards from ‘qabza mafia’.

He was presiding over a meeting held in connection with improvement of graveyards in the province at 180-H Model Town, today. Provincial Ministers Tanvir Aslam Malik, Abdul Waheed Chaudhary, Members Provincial Assembly Khawaja Imran Nazir, Mehmood Qadir, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Press Secretary to Chief Minister Shoaib Bin Aziz, Secretary Information, Momin Agha and Secretary Local Government Jawad Rafique Malik were also present on the occasion.

Rana Sanaullah Khan said that the Divisional Commissioners will be responsible for the overall improvement of graveyards whereas DCO for the physical implementation and infrastructural work under this project. He said that monitoring committees will also be constituted at tehsil level for monitoring the pace of work. Rana Sanaullah directed Secretary Local Government to submit him progress report of the said project on fortnightly basis.

Secretary Local Government while giving briefing informed that under the scheme of improvement of graveyards, Rs.169 million have been allocated for Lahore division, Rs.147 million for Gujranwala division, Rs.74 million for Sargodha division, Rs.130 million for Faisalabad division, Rs.94 million for DG Khan division, Rs.88 million for Rawalpindi division, Rs.71 million for Sahiwal division, Rs.115 million for Multan division whereas Rs.107 million for Bahawalpur division.

Law Minister said that a total number of 571 various schemes have been approved in all districts of the province under the project of improvement of graveyards. He said that retrieval of graveyards from ‘qabza mafia’ is also part of this project. He said that law enforcement agencies will play their active role in this regard.