LAHORE:
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved a project for providing eyeglasses and hearing aids to 700,000 students after medical screening in schools across the province.
The screening process in the government and private schools across Punjab will be launched soon, following which the students having weak eyesight and hearing abilities will be provided spectacles and hearing aids. An assistive technology institution will provide Rs500 million in financial assistance in this regard.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz met a delegation of the organisation ATscale and discussed matters pertaining to internet services in schools and other affairs.
Steps being taken to meet nutritional needs of the schoolchildren also came under review.
According to an official statement, collaboration with the departments concerned for addressing health, nutrition and other matters was emphasised during the meeting and it was agreed that steps would be taken for capacity building of schoolteachers.
The chief minister said the first government school for the children suffering from autism in Punjab will be established in Lahore. “It is the right of every child to be educated as per international standards,” she stressed.
She said a packed milk project would be launched in collaboration with the private sector to meet nutritional deficiencies of the students.
“We have resumed the free emergency Wi-Fi facility in Lahore,” she added.
In a meeting with German company TUV Rheinland’s Regional Executive Vice President Benedik Aneselmann, the chief minister discussed technical assistance for welfare projects in Punjab, including third party monitoring, project management, certification and auditing.
The CM invited the German firm to benefit from the rich business opportunities in Punjab.
Benedik Aneselmann assured the chief minister of his support for the welfare projects in Punjab.
It was decided in principle to collaborate for making the monitoring of development projects more effective with the use of modern technology along with technical assistance and expertise.
The chief minister appreciated the commitment of the TUV Rheinland for providing innovative and sustainable solutions in Punjab.
In another meeting with Sheikh Ahmed Dalmouk Al Maktoum, a member of the royal family of the United Arab Emirates, the chief minister said, ”Together, ADM Holding, Emirates Real Estate Solutions (ERES) and Lahore Development Authority (LDA) are poised to revolutionise Lahore’s real estate sector, setting new standards for efficiency, transparency and innovation.”
Matters related to digitalisation of land transactions and reforms in Lahore’s real estate sector were discussed in the meeting.
The Cm said partnership of the LDA and ERES would prove instrumental in the development of the real estate sector of Lahore by raising investors’ confidence. “This collaboration underscores LDA’s commitment to promoting sustainable development in Lahore,” she added.
She said, ”This strategic partnership aims to modernise and streamline land transactions, ensuring they are more efficient, transparent and secure. By leveraging advanced technologies and best practices, the initiative seeks to elevate Lahore’s overall real estate ecosystem by encouraging investment and fostering economic growth in the region.”
Sheikh Al Maktoum said, “Through this partnership, we aim to enhance transparency, efficiency and investor confidence, ultimately contributing to Pakistan’s economic growth.”
Emirates Real Estate Solutions CEO Khalifa Al Suwaidi said, ”Our collective expertise and resources will enable us to implement innovative solutions that will benefit investors, developers and the community at large.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 12th, 2024.
