Lahore: Minister for Local Government Zeeshan Rafiq led a meeting at the Civil Secretariat to review three significant programs: ‘Punjab Inclusive Cities,’ ‘Clean Water,’ and ‘Prosperous Villages.’ According to Directorate General Public Relation – Govt of Punjab, the session was attended by key officials including Secretary for Local Government Zaid bin Maqsood and Director General Benish Fatima. The meeting included a briefing by Syed Zahid Aziz, CEO of the Punjab Municipal Development Fund Company (PMDFC).

Zeeshan Rafiq announced a plan, under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s directives, to implement a comprehensive clean drinking water initiative across all districts. The program aims to install or rehabilitate 5,734 filtration plants in 156 tehsils across 41 districts. Assistant Commissioners will ensure these plants remain operational, while the Punjab Clean Water Authority will manage the schemes at the provincial level. To maintain these plants, 159 dedicated squads will be deployed. The ‘Punjab Inclusive Cities Program’ (PICP), in partnership with the World Bank, is set to improve municipal facilities in 16 cities, including Chishtian and Haroonabad. The Minister directed the PMDFC to fast-track the master planning for these cities, focusing on sewerage, water supply, and street construction projects, with a timeline to be presented at the next meeting.