Punjab Province

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab government has ordered a province wide survey of unsafe and deteriorating buildings immediately after the monsoon season, as authorities move to identify structures that could pose risks to residents and strengthen urban safety measures across the province.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz issued the directive while chairing a meeting to review progress on Phase-I of the Punjab Development Programme (PDP). Deputy commissioners from across Punjab participated in the meeting through video link and briefed the chief minister on development activities in their respective districts.
The proposed survey will focus on identifying buildings considered structurally unsafe or in a deteriorating condition following the monsoon season. The exercise is expected to provide authorities with a clearer assessment of potentially hazardous structures and help determine where remedial measures or further technical inspections may be required.
During the meeting, the chief minister also directed officials to accelerate the completion of development schemes being implemented under Phase-I of the Punjab Development Programme.
She sought an impact study of sewerage and drainage projects completed under the programme to evaluate whether the schemes have effectively improved urban drainage and reduced problems associated with rainwater accumulation and flooding.
Maryam Nawaz further instructed authorities to prepare a comprehensive case study of Phase-I of the PDP and compile feedback from residents to assess the effectiveness of development interventions and their impact on local communities.
The chief minister reviewed ongoing PDP schemes in Vehari, Burewala, Tandlianwala, Jaranwala, Jalalpur Jattan, Sambrial, Muridke, Khudian, Kabirwala, Chak Jhumra, Bhalwal, Attock, Kamalia, Toba Tek Singh, Gojra, Ali Pur Chattha, Chichawatni, Daska, Layyah, Sillanwali, Wazirabad, Bahawalnagar and Mailsi.
Officials also presented progress reports on development projects underway in Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Rawalpindi and Sialkot.
The meeting was informed that underground water storage tanks have become fully operational in 29 cities across Punjab, while construction of similar facilities is continuing in another 21 cities.
These facilities form part of the province's broader efforts to strengthen urban drainage infrastructure and improve management of rainwater during periods of heavy rainfall.
The chief minister said recently installed sewerage systems had significantly improved drainage conditions in several cities, highlighting the role of upgraded infrastructure in reducing water accumulation during the monsoon.
She also acknowledged the performance of deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners, Water and Sanitation Agency officials and Suthra Punjab teams during the rainy season.
Maryam Nawaz appreciated officers and field staff who worked around the clock to facilitate residents and manage monsoon-related challenges.
The post-monsoon building survey, combined with assessments of drainage and sewerage projects, is expected to give the provincial government a broader picture of infrastructure vulnerabilities and the effectiveness of recently completed development schemes across Punjab.

Lahore : ReNews Pakistan
The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has decided to make LDA City a key focus of development activity during the current fiscal year, with plans to accelerate ongoing works and bring commercial and residential plots to the market in the near future.
The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by LDA Director General Tahir Farooq, where officials reviewed matters related to town planning, auctions, engineering, financial planning and development priorities in LDA City.
During the meeting, Tahir Farooq said that development activity during the current fiscal year would place particular emphasis on LDA City. He directed the relevant officials to further accelerate the pace of ongoing development works in the scheme.
The meeting was informed that commercial and residential plots in LDA City would soon be offered to the market and that the concerned departments were taking necessary measures in this regard.
The Director Auction briefed the meeting on the upcoming balloting process and said that commercial plots in LDA Avenue One and LDA City Business Bay had been included in the next ballot. Five-marla residential plots in Johar Town have also been included.
Citizens can submit applications to participate in the balloting until September 2, 2026. The meeting also reviewed the LDA’s auction calendar for the current fiscal year and plans for upcoming auctions.
The LDA director general also directed officials to develop an effective governance model for improving the provision of basic civic services in LDA Avenue One, Jubilee Town and LDA Enclave.
The proposed governance framework is aimed at strengthening service delivery and improving administrative arrangements in LDA housing schemes.
The Town Planning Section briefed the meeting on revenue targets and progress made under the ongoing recovery campaign. Farooq directed the Town Planning Wing to intensify its drive against illegal construction and unauthorised commercialisation to ensure more effective enforcement of building and land-use regulations across the city.
He also instructed officials to ensure strict compliance with relevant standard operating procedures during construction activities in the monsoon season so that development works can continue safely during rainfall and inconvenience to the public can be minimised.
The LDA chief further directed the authorities to initiate development works in other LDA schemes during the current fiscal year under a sustainable development model, with greater focus on improving basic infrastructure and civic amenities.
Director Finance Kashif Imran briefed the meeting on planning for the proposed budget for the next fiscal year, while officials from the engineering, town planning and auction wings presented updates on their targets, ongoing projects and future initiatives.
The meeting was attended by the Additional Director General Headquarters, Chief Town Planner-I, Director Auction, Director Finance, Director Engineering and other senior LDA officials.

Bahawalpur : ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab government has formally launched the “Apna Khet, Apna Rozgar” programme in Cholistan, initiating the distribution of state agricultural land among eligible families as part of a major effort to expand farming activity, create livelihood opportunities and bring underutilised land into productive use.
Under the programme, the provincial government has earmarked approximately 83,000 acres of agricultural land in Cholistan for distribution among eligible beneficiaries, according to the Bahawalpur commissioner.
More than 16,000 families are expected to benefit from the initiative, with each eligible household receiving a five-acre agricultural plot for cultivation.
The programme represents a significant land-based livelihood initiative in the Cholistan region, where access to cultivable land and financial resources remains an important factor in improving household incomes and strengthening the local agricultural economy.
At the formal launch ceremony, officials handed over allotment letters to 25 successful applicants, marking the beginning of the land distribution process.
According to the Cholistan Development Authority (CDA), the programme attracted considerable interest from local communities, receiving a total of 52,158 applications.
Following scrutiny and verification of applicants, 27,647 applications were approved as eligible, indicating that demand for agricultural land under the programme substantially exceeds the number of plots currently available for distribution.
In the first phase, the Punjab government plans to allocate agricultural land to 10,290 eligible Cholistan families. The remaining distribution is expected to proceed in accordance with the programme's implementation framework and availability of designated land.
Alongside the land allocation, the provincial government is introducing a substantial financial support package aimed at helping beneficiaries convert their allotted plots into productive farmland.
In collaboration with the Punjab Agriculture Department, the government will provide approximately Rs 4.25 billion in financial assistance under the scheme.
Each beneficiary will be entitled to receive Rs 50,000 per acre, which can be used for preparing the allotted land, initiating cultivation and meeting other essential farming expenses.
For a household receiving the standard five-acre allocation, the assistance could amount to Rs 250,000, providing initial capital to help beneficiaries begin agricultural operations.
The combination of land allocation and cultivation assistance is intended to ensure that beneficiaries are not merely provided with land but also have access to the financial resources required to make their holdings productive.
The initiative is expected to contribute to agricultural development in Cholistan while creating new income-generating opportunities for thousands of families dependent on farming and related rural economic activities.
With 83,000 acres earmarked for distribution, more than 16,000 prospective beneficiary families and billions of rupees allocated for agricultural support, the programme could also have wider implications for land utilisation, rural employment and agricultural production across the Cholistan region.