The present Government has decided to launch phase-2 of the Punjab Cities Programme (PCM). The flagship programme was launched in 2018 by the Punjab Government to strengthen the performance of local governments in urban management and services. The phase-1 of PCM was started in 2019 and completed all 44 developmental schemes under the programme. The PCM’s objective is linked to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for viable, inclusive, and climate-resilient development growth.
Under the programme, investments will be made in water supply, sewerage, storm drainage, solid waste management, wastewater treatment plants, urban roads, parks and streetlights. The major activity of the programme is to provide machinery for the Solid Waste Management-related activities in several cities of Punjab, including Hafizabad, Jhelum, Okara, Bahawalnagar etc. The programme aims to assist 16 urban local governments in Punjab to improve urban infrastructure that will enhance economic growth and development, ending poverty and promoting shared prosperity.
Pakistan generates about 48.5 million tons of solid waste per year, increasing more than 2 per cent annually. However, the lack of proper waste management infrastructure creates serious environmental problems. Most of the urban waste is either burned, dumped or buried on vacant sites, threatening the health and welfare of the country’s population
Nonetheless, the government has taken many initiatives to manage urban waste, including waste-to-energy power plants, water supply treatment, sanitation, and solid waste management.
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