Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has unveiled a technology driven public transport and welfare expansion plan while inaugurating an electric bus service in Rajanpur, positioning digital infrastructure and smart mobility at the centre of provincial development. Addressing the ceremony, she outlined how transport modernisation, digital monitoring systems and welfare digitisation are being scaled beyond major urban centres to districts such as Rajanpur, signalling a broader push toward tech enabled governance across Punjab.
The newly launched green electric bus service in Rajanpur integrates multiple digital features designed to enhance passenger safety, accessibility and operational oversight. Each bus is equipped with free Wi Fi, onboard charging ports, CCTV cameras to prevent harassment and digital driver monitoring systems. All vehicles are connected to a central command and control centre for live monitoring, allowing authorities to track performance, safety compliance and route management in real time. The service has been launched on the 22 kilometre Fazilpur Rajanpur route and the 18 kilometre Kot Mithan Rajanpur route, with a standard fare of Rs20. The buses are air conditioned in summer and heated in winter, and include wheelchair access supported by automatic ramps, reflecting an inclusive design supported by modern transport engineering standards.
The chief minister directed that green bus services be introduced in all tehsils of Punjab within one year, noting that 500 green buses are already operational, 1,100 more are expected to arrive soon and another 1,500 will be added within the year. In parallel, 2,600 modern bus stands are being developed across the province to improve commuter facilities for workers and students. From a digital governance perspective, the integration of live monitoring systems and centralised command infrastructure marks a step toward data driven urban mobility management. Such systems can support route optimisation, predictive maintenance and service reliability through continuous data collection and analysis. She also highlighted that international standard transport facilities are no longer limited to Lahore, stating that technology enabled mobility is now being extended to districts previously considered underserved.
Alongside transport digitisation, the chief minister referenced broader welfare and economic initiatives that rely on structured identification and service delivery mechanisms, including the Kisan Card, Himmat Card, Minority Card and Ration Card schemes. Under the Apna Khet Apna Rozgar project, 250,000 acres of agricultural land will be allocated to unemployed individuals, with beneficiaries receiving three to five acres and access to agricultural inputs through Kisan Cards. She also announced the establishment of Centres of Excellence in every tehsil and cath labs in 20 cities, including Rajanpur, indicating parallel investments in education and healthcare infrastructure. With 170,000 houses to be completed this year under the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar project and a plan to expand the ration card programme to benefit up to 30 million people, the province is increasingly relying on digitised systems for welfare distribution, beneficiary management and public service oversight, reinforcing a model of technology backed public administration across Punjab.
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