CM Punjab chairs meeting about Punjab Drug Authority project

Lahore: Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab, has set a deadline of October to complete the Agriculture, Food, and Drug Authority project, which had been stopped for three and a half years. As a result, the people would no longer be subjected to substandard and tainted food and medicines.

In addition, he has warned that delays in the acquisition of machinery and equipment would not be permitted. He highlighted that a steering group had been constituted for the recruiting process.

Agriculture, Food, and Drug Authority will be operational by October, per the directive of the chief minister, who has decided to eradicate the problem of contaminated food and medication in the province. 

Additionally, he has made it plain that laxity in acquiring machinery and equipment would not be accepted. A recruiting steering group was also established inside the authority.

The previous administration played politics with the lives of those harmed by tainted food and medicine and put this project of national significance on hold for no apparent reason; he expressed regret and insisted that those responsible for the three-and-a-half-year delay are accountable to the nation.

The CM Punjab Hamza Shahbaz was informed in a briefing that the postponing of the project had raised its cost by Rs. 3 billion.

The prime minister stated that the inept cabal of the previous administration squandered national resources. 

Now, he claimed, neglect would not be permitted, and he ordered that the progress be reported to him every two weeks and that he visit the site to assess the work rate.

Additional Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning and Development, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Secretary C&W, and Chief Executive Officer of Infrastructure Development Authority Punjab, among others, were in attendance at the meeting.