Punjab CM Unveils Rs23bn Katcha Development Package

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced a Rs23 billion development package for the province’s Katcha belt, describing the initiative as a major push to improve security, infrastructure and public services in riverine communities long affected by weak state presence and criminal networks.

The package was approved during a high-level meeting in Lahore and includes a wide set of measures covering law and order, education, healthcare, transport, land distribution and livelihood support. The provincial government says the plan is designed to move the Katcha region from emergency security operations toward permanent development and civilian service delivery.

A major part of the initiative focuses on land and economic rehabilitation. The chief minister approved the allocation of 14,500 acres of state land for local residents, with officials saying the land will be distributed among farmers under the Apna Khet, Apna Rozgar programme to help families build sustainable sources of income.

According to the provincial plan, Rs7.1 billion will be directed toward law and order, Rs13.9 billion toward social infrastructure and Rs1.7 billion toward other development sectors. The package also includes road construction, school upgrades, new educational institutions, mobile clinics, veterinary hospitals, laboratories and transport facilities for residents.

Maryam Nawaz said the Katcha areas had now been cleared of criminal influence and would be brought into the mainstream through development. The government also plans to introduce Nadra services in the region, a move that could improve access to identity documentation, welfare programmes and formal state services for isolated communities.

The security component remains central to the package. Officials said modern solar-powered drone surveillance has been introduced for monitoring the region, while police stations and check-posts will be placed under stronger oversight. Advanced armoured personnel carriers and police vehicles are also expected to be equipped with surveillance cameras.

The plan includes 108 kilometres of soling work and 27 road schemes covering around 144 kilometres. In the education sector, 65 schools are set to be upgraded, 16 new schools will be established and two girls’ colleges will be built, signalling an attempt to address long-standing gaps in access to learning, especially for girls.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said the province would no longer allow any no-go areas to exist and claimed the state’s writ had been restored after decades of insecurity. She added that 300 merit-based scholarships, a special quota of free laptops and 1,000 livestock cards for women would support students, youth and female-led household economies.

The Katcha belt has historically been associated with difficult terrain, riverine hideouts, poor connectivity and repeated law-enforcement operations against gangs. Development experts have often argued that policing alone cannot stabilise such regions unless roads, schools, healthcare, identity services and local employment are expanded at the same time.

The next phase will depend on how quickly the Punjab government converts the package into visible work on the ground. If implemented effectively, the initiative could improve public trust, reduce criminal regrouping and create a model for stabilising neglected areas through a combination of security, governance and social investment.