Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
Subsidies are supposed to be provided from surplus reserves....not from loans. And secondly, more than 50% of the entire provincial fund is being spent on projects that will help 20-30% segment of just one city. This is not how a provincial government is supposed to run. A city government, maybe.
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
That is not what I said. You are reading between the lines.
I did not say that government should not FUND infrastructure projects. I said government should not RUN infrastructure projects. That is, there should not be government intervention or subsidy. Rather a project should be financially feasible enough to run itself without any help. Otherwise it will become a liability sooner or later..........
You are changing your stance. Why don't you apply the same logic to government running hospitals, schools, universities and so forth?
Transport projects are almost always subsidized by governments. In any case, this project would not be RUN directly by the government. The operators, I believe, are private parties who would get subsidy. There is an independent authority like in almost all countries which would oversee it.
You could argue that we cannot afford to subsidize this one. You could argue that education and health should get priority over infrastructure. You could argue that it is not wise to spend all that money on ONE city. I accept all that. Please do not argue that it is not the responsibility of the government to run infrastructure projects. Highways, tunnels, bridges, rail systems, rapid transport systems in all countries are almost always funded and either operated or subsidized by the government. Just as an example, the government owns more than 75% shares in the rapid rail system in the most capitalistic city in Asia, Hong Kong, and it is still heavily subsidized by the government.
It is a system where, in theory, tax money collected form the rich is spent for the benefit for not-so-rich segment of the society.
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
In every country I think infrastructure projects are funded by govt. Not sure what the difference is between funding and running. Govt hires subcontractors to run it.
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
jasos, there is no doubt the project will help people. Any such project with ANY intention will provide some benefits even if it is laptop, Benazir Income Support etc but you MUST prioritize the projects otherwise you will miserably FAIL. Just tell me if you don't find the below figures shocking:
The economics behind the Lahore Metro Bus Service
This is reckless spending which matches the obsessive behaviour of emperors from not so democratic times. PHOTO: AFP According to the Punjab government, 30 billion rupees is the amount of money spent on the Lahore Metro Bus Service. The actual figure may be a lot more, but let’s just take their word for it and apply a bit of perspective to it instead.
Overall the entire allocated money for Punjab development is Rs63 billion which means that 50% or half of the development budget of Punjab was spent in Lahore.
This excludes the cost of the numerous underpasses and overhead bridges that were built in Lahore.
Compare this Rs30 billion to the Rs16.5 billion allocated to the health sector for the entire province of Punjab. Just imagine if this same budget, allocated to the metro service was spent on the health sector instead.
A state of the art hospital like the recently developed Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology was built within Rs2.8 billion, taking that as our benchmark, we would have been able to build 10 such hospitals with the RS30 billion spent on the Metro Bus!
An interesting perspective, right?
Compare this with the Rs25 billion development budget for education in Punjab for the current year. From this 25 billion a total of Rs5 billion was spent on giving away laptops. Although the goodwill gesture behind the act remains, pragmatism is in severe dearth. Unfortunately, the schools in this country lack basic infrastructure, sanitation and clean drinking water – laptops are a far off dream.
Some may think Punjab as a province is able to afford such shenanigans but a close look at the economic situation of the province gives a very different picture.
In these hard economic times, under the PPP government, it is Punjab that is the worst performing province.
The province’s annual average growth rate of 2.5% between 2007 and 2011 lagged far behind the 3.4% for the rest of Pakistan, according to the Lahore-based Institute of Public Policy (IPP). Over 83% of the Rs783 billion Punjab budget for the current year will be financed by federal transfers and 12% by provincial tax revenue.
The more worrying factor is that Punjab is generating very little revenue of its own and the provincial government has completely failed to address this problem, in fact it is making it worse by spending billions on projects which will further strain the treasury.
Interestingly, very little is being said about the running cost of the Metro Bus Service as the costs have not been ‘calculated yet’ but conservative estimates are that the subsidies would cost the government a minimum of Rs1 billion a year.
This project has the potential to become another state owned bleeding giant.
This is reckless spending which matches the obsessive behaviour of emperors from not so democratic times. Pakistan is set for harder times economically and the leaders are demonstrating absolutely no sense what so ever or any serious intent to address the actual problems this country faces.
I believe that the Metro Bus Service has nothing to offer this country except further economic misery.
[FONT=verdana, geneva, lucida, lucida grande, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Read more by Faraz here, or follow him on Twitter @feeraz_khan
Do you think it's wise to spend Rs 30 Billion on this project when entire Punjab's HEALTH budget is only Rs 16 Billion Is it also wise to spend Rs 25 Billion on education but Rs 30 Billion on half a city? Also spending 20% of education budget on laptops? Fact is that no one would have noticed if Rs 5 Billion was spent on improvement of schools. Another fact is that no one would have noticed if Rs 30 Billion was spent on improving health or education facilities but obviously whole Pakistan watched when Rapid Bus project was launched so we know exactly why these sort of projects are initiated.
All said and done, spending larger amounts on major cities like Lahore, with such large number of people concentrated in one place is perhaps better in the long run and a more efficient use of state funds, then spending that same amount on isolated projects in small towns and villages. Lets face it, it wont be long before those same villagers are packing themselves up and moving to Lahore with their own families.
If Karachi is anything to learn from, not planning for the future growth of the city and neglecting its infrastructure, is essentially sowing the seeds of discontent and urban misery in the future.
Cities are the epicenter of modern society. While we shouldn't neglect the rural areas, we should understand and appreciate the efficiency inherent in large cities. Pakistan will gain more from her capacity to transport her citizens about their city more efficiently over time, and unleash the dynamic that a thriving city can impart on an economy. Ultimately, everyone benefits, including those who have lost out this time around.
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
Exactly, your each and every word is true and showing that may be your have migrated from a small town to Big City or knows many persons who are thinking to move to a big city. But problem here that people who dislike Shahbaz Sharif, just criticizing him for the sake of their inner satisfaction, I don’t know when people will BE able to keep their hate aside and will learn to apprecaite some good deed of a BAD person :hinna:
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
:omg:
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
I have no issue with Metro Bus, my only concern is regarding its financial viability. Our governments have proven to the the worst managers of things like these (in this region leave alone the world). If not properly run the financial problems of the province will increase in the future.
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
I have no issue with Metro Bus, my only concern is regarding its financial viability. Our governments have proven to the the worst managers of things like these (in this region leave alone the world). If not properly run the financial problems of the province will increase in the future.
yah tou Doodh main Meengania daal kar dainay walli baata hoi :@:
lagay raho munna bhai :)
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
Shahbaz Sharif has built this system from public money and not from his pocket. The public has the right to question the project.
In other countries (except Pakistan) the public has the right to information, they can question any department about their performance.
The right to information – The Express Tribune
In this case we dont know what the exact cost of the project is (30 billion or 90 billion), what sort of losses the government would have to bear and till when? Whats the feasibility of the project?
Before this project we had pink buses for women. They were launched with a lot of fanfare as well.
and within a few months the project failed.
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
aap to ghussa he kar gaiay :cb: m
ain nay kub kaha apni pocket say di hay :omg: :rotfl:
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
Mengnain ki kui apne to ab daalni to paregi na 
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
Khush raho munna 
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
Unfortunately, this is a blot on our public, not on Shahbaz Sharif. Our society at large lacks the civic sense and public responsibility that is required of them. They refuse to understand the concept of public services.
The only thing I liked about the metrobus inauguration was the fact that Shahbaz Sharif did not invite Zardari, though I feel that Zardari was in town on that day in hopes of an invite. Zardari camp had been tossing hints about visiting to condole the death of Nawaz Sharif’s brother, and might have wanted to combine the condolence with the inauguration, but it didnt happen.
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
Unfortunately, this is a blot on our public, not on Shahbaz Sharif. Our society at large lacks the civic sense and public responsibility that is required of them. They refuse to understand the concept of public services.
The only thing I liked about the metrobus inauguration was the fact that Shahbaz Sharif did not invite Zardari, though I feel that Zardari was in town on that day in hopes of an invite. Zardari camp had been tossing hints about visiting to condole the death of Nawaz Sharif's brother, and might have wanted to combine the condolence with the inauguration, but it didnt happen.
Today tickets were being charged from the public no more free
Zardari is visiting Jiyalas in Lahore in Helicopters nowdays..........Trying to make a mark in Lahore and Punjab........And why the condolences now its been 3 weeks now He should have gone few days after the death like others....
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
Today tickets were being charged from the public no more free
Zardari is visiting Jiyalas in Lahore in Helicopters nowdays..........Trying to make a mark in Lahore and Punjab........And why the condolences now its been 3 weeks now He should have gone few days after the death like others....
Well, its primarily for under-the-table talks. Condolence is just a ruse. After all, both parties are united behind the scenes, and their common aim is to keep a 3rd force from rising.
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
This was the promise and we got bus 
many would say atleast something but we have almost spent same money on building infrastructure, mono rail is cheaper to run compared to buses! initial cost may be slightly more.
Restored attachments:
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
For a few buses, the traffic flow of the city has been disturbed as there are lack of crossings between the buses and other traffic.
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
According to Shehbaz Sharif, there was no corruption in the metro project. However, it was stated by many that the tender process for most of the sub-contracts was not transparent, and in many cases, contracts were given out to cronies without tenders. Fruits of such transparency are beginning to show.
"Metro Bus and his Material Exposed " Dunya News - Geo Tau Aisay Pakistan](http://www.geotauaisay.com/2013/06/metro-bus-and-his-material-exposed-dunya-news/)
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
Some side lanes have already started getting damaged, and I am talking of before the monsoon season.
Re: I want to appreciate Shahbaz Sharif - (Metro Bus)
Oh ho yeh kiya hogaya 
