SARGODHA, May 6: Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool has said the people were least interested in the politics as they wanted facilities of health and education besides peace and harmony in the country.

He was talking to the members of Bhakkar district council at the district council hall, some 200 kilometres from here, on Monday.

He advised the elected representatives to support the government so that the country could be put back on the path of prosperity.

He expressed his satisfaction over the working of the district government during its first six months.

He said the government had decided to give loans to farmers for the Kharif season. The government has not only enhanced the rates of sugarcane but it managed the payment of 96 per cent growers from the mills.

The government has planned to procure 3.7 million tons of wheat of which it has so far purchased 600,000 tons. It has distributed 12 million gunny bags among the growers, he added.

Governor Maqbool assured them that the government would provide them modern farming implements.

He assured the farmers of the drought hit areas of Bhakkar that they would be facilitated in the repayment of loan. He said loan up to Rs25,000 of 127 villages would be written off and markup on loans up to Rs75,000 would be waived besides relaxation in payment of revenue and abiana.

He said with the re-modelling of Thal canal thousands of acres of barren land would be made fertile while after the construction of Thal greater canal and flood water canal, over 600,000 acres of land would be brought under cultivation.

He claimed that every village would be electrified.

Governor Maqbool also announced special uplift package for Bhakkar district and announced construction and widening of Bhakkar-Mianwali road up to Muzaffargarh, Bhakkar-Jhang-Faisalabad to Lahore road.

He announced a grant of Rs5 million for Darya Khan tehsil headquarters hospital and Rs2 million for sports stadium. He assured that the land for a women and children park would also be earmarked on priority basis.

He said a dyke would be constructed at a cost of Rs100 million, while a district jail, women police station and sanatzar (industrial home for women) at tehsil level would be set up.

He said new blocks would be constructed in the Mankera intermediate girls college, more schools for girls and a technical training college would be opened in Bhakkar.

The governor said a research institute for wheat, gram and pulses would be set up where teaching and training facilities would be provided.

Earlier, Governor Maqbool visited the Bhakkar DHQ hospital and inquired after the health of those people who sustained injuries in a terrorist attack. He also visited Qasr-i-Zainab where unidentified people hurled a bomb and condoled with the families of the victims.

He said sanctity of places of worship of every sect would be maintained at all cost. He was briefing about the development projects under Khushhal Pakistan Programme. He also met delegations of lawyers, ulema, women and people from other walks of life.