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Donor conference’s success is President Musharraf’s: Elahi

* CM says government’s reforms will aid southern Punjab
* Announces development projects for Bahawalnagar

Staff Report

LAHORE: The success of the donors’ conference vindicates General Pervez Musharraf’s foreign policy and leadership qualities, said Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. He was addressing a public meeting in Satluj Park, Bahawalnagar.

The Chief Minister said all necessary facilities were being ensured in Punjab’s schools under the Education Sector Reforms Programme and enrolment in southern Punjab’s schools had increased because of scholarships and free textbooks. He said all middle schools of the province would be upgraded to high schools in a phased programme.

He said all rural and basic health centres and tehsil and district headquarters hospitals were being upgraded and availability of medicine, staff and doctors was being ensured under the Health Sector Reforms Programme.

He said Rs 11 billion would be spent on providing potable water in southern Punjab and a programme for supply and drainage of water in all tehsils of the region had been initiated.

Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said the government was paying special attention to agricultural development. He said water-thieves would be imprisoned for three years and modern monitoring systems would be installed on canals every two kilometres to eliminate water-theft and provide water-flow information to farmers. He said laser levellers would be provided at union council level as proper utilisation of water required land levelling.

He said the Punjab government had generously donated to relief and rehabilitation of earthquake victims. The chief minister said Rs 3.17 billion had been spent on development schemes in Bahawalnagar in the last three years, besides provision of gas, and Rs 520 billion development projects were underway in the district. He said Bahawalnagar’s roads would be repaired and widened and sewerage facilities would be provided to Donga Bonga.

He said concerted efforts should be made for the reorganisation of Pakistan Muslim League.

Earlier, the chief minister laid the foundation stone of the Rs 26 million Bahawalnagar bypass.

Federal Religious Affairs Minister Ejazul Haq said the government’s policies had accelerated development and improved living standards. He said development projects for Bahawalnagar would be completed on priority basis.

Bahawalnagar District Nazim Mian Mumtaz Ahmed Matiana, Provincial Zakat and Ushr Minister Khadim Hussain Wattoo and former district nazim Ali Akbar Vains also spoke on the occasion.

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