Energy crisis has made lives of students 'miserable': Shahbaz
27 January, 2013
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday the "worst energy crisis" has made lives of students difficult while agriculture, industry, commerce and other social sectors are also being affected. Presiding over a meeting on 'Khadim-e-Punjab Ujala Programme', he said the Punjab government has chalked out a programme to distribute free-of-cost solar lamps among students. The scheme, he added, was being initiated from Bahawalpur during the current month. "Energy crisis has made the lives of citizens miserable and affected trade and commercial activities. Many industries have been shut down due to energy crisis rendering thousands workers unemployed," the chief minister said. He said that due to incompetence and corruption of rulers in Islamabad, energy crisis is worsening. He said the Punjab government is "expeditiously implementing its projects on alternative energy sources in order to overcome energy crisis". However, he said, Khadim-e-Punjab Ujala Programme is being initiated to help brilliant students continue their academic activities. The chief minister said that these free solar lamps would be distributed "purely on merit and in a transparent manner" among the students of government educational institutions. He said position holders of Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan would also be given free solar lamps. He said that Rs 2.5 billion are being spent on Khadim-e-Punjab Ujala Programme "which will enable brilliant students to continue their studies during load shedding". Shahbaz Sharif said that in the 65-year history of the country, "it is for the first time that the Punjab government has chalked out" such a welfare programme for students. He said that an agreement of provision of solar lamps has been made with a Chinese company which would provide 10,000 solar lamps at a cost of Rs 110 million. Separately, presiding over a meeting to review pace of work on the Metro Bus Service (MBS) project, the chief minister said the project was a milestone in the transport sector of Pakistan. He said the Punjab government is working for the "uplift and welfare" of people of the province. He said the bus project was the "best gift" from the Punjab to people. The project, he added, would provide "affordable, comfortable and modern commuting facilities" to citizens. End.
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