Punjab CM restores health card, Ehsaas cash assistance programme
Government also decides to reopen free food and shelter houses
Islamabad: The Punjab government has restored what it calls the much-acclaimed projects of public welfare launched by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government ‘Health Card Scheme’ and ‘Ehsaas cash assistance programme’ for the poor.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) backed Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had announced immediately after taking oath of the office on July 27 that he would run the affairs of 120-million population province under the guidance of Imran Khan whose party is in majority (177 members) in the 371-member Punjab Assembly.
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahis’s Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) has only 10 seats in the assembly but those ten votes played a crucial role in gaining the decisive majority in the house for the PTI-PML-Q alliance.
Imran Khan on July 28 in his ‘victory speech’ had announced the Punjab government would resume the public-welfare projects with immediate effect.
The second largest party in the assembly, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 167 votes had suspended the Imran government’s programmes after its Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz took oath of the office on April 30.
However, his election was challenged by Elahi and after repeated hearings, the Supreme Court finally on July 27 decided in favour of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.
“Shelter Houses resume operation”
Besides health card and Ehsaas programmes, the Punjab government has also decided to reopen Free Food & Shelter Houses.
Officers of the district administration of Lahore visited the Shelter Houses on Friday and monitored the steps being taken to bring them back to life.
All the assistant commissioners have been directed to visit shelter houses and make sure proper arrangements are being taken there with regards to food and hygiene.
“Sania to visit Punjab for execution of Ehsaas programme”
Imran Khan also directed former special assistant on poverty alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar to help the Punjab government in restoring the Ehsaas welfare programmes.
In his speech, Imran Khan had said that Sania Nishtar would soon reach Punjab and monitor the restoration of programmes in the province.