Lahore: The Punjab government has expanded the reach of the Punjab Horticulture Authority Act 2025 to encompass all 41 districts of the province, enhancing the management of public green spaces. This development aims to establish district-level agencies responsible for overseeing parks, green belts, and other public green areas throughout Punjab.

According to Directorate General Public Relation – Govt of Punjab, a notification issued by the Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering (HUD&PHE) Department announced the establishment of horticulture agencies in 20 additional districts, including Bahawalnagar, Hafizabad, and Mandi Bahauddin, among others. HUD&PHE Secretary Noor ul Amin Mengal stated that these agencies will be operational soon, with plantation drives set to commence, aligning with directives from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

This move marks the completion of a phased initiative started last year, integrating district-level horticulture authorities under the centralized Punjab Horticulture Authority. Chief Minister Sharif recently emphasized the urgency of setting up these agencies by January 2027 and initiating a series of plantation drives to enhance green spaces across the province.

In a meeting with Director General of the Punjab Horticulture Authority Ahmad Usman, Secretary Mengal outlined plans for district-specific resource allocation, continuous monthly planting of seasonal flowers, and widespread tree planting initiatives. This expansion parallels efforts in the water and sanitation sector, which last year saw similar district-wide implementations.