September 25, 2002	Wednesday	Rajab 17, 1423

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DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Sept 24: NWFP Governor, Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, has said the government is taking concrete steps to improve the Gomal Medical College.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a new building for the college on Tuesday, the governor said initiatives were being taken with a view to reduce the sense of deprivation from the people of backward areas.

“We have accepted it as a challenge and not only this college but the Saidu Medical College will also be brought on a par with other medical institutions of the country,” the governor assured.

“It seems that certain areas were being intentionally kept backward in the past,” he said, adding that the launching of major projects reflected government’s intention to promote backward areas.

He said paperwork for the construction of Chashma Left Bank Canal was already in progress and hopefully work would start in two years.

The project on completion, he added, would irrigate almost 250,000 acres of land which would bring a revolution in the socio-economic life of the respective people.

The Kurram Tangi Dam, the governor said, was also one of such projects which had ignored by the past governments, but now funds had been allocated and technical study would be carried during the current year. Kotal Tunnel project, he said, was near completion and its trial operation was expected to begin by March next.

He also announced a grant of Rs 20 million for the district government and directed it to submit proposed schemes at the earliest.

As far as the provision of staff at the GMC was concerned, the governor said 62 new posts had been approved, which would include nine professors, nine associate professors, five assistant professors and 15 other senior medical staffers for the college. The process for the filling of vacancies would start shortly, he said, adding: “We are seriously considering to provide special incentives to the concerned staff for their encouragement.”

GRANT RELEASED: The provincial government has released Rs 120 million for the improvement and development of teaching hospital in Dera Ismail Khan and priority would be given to ensure availability of a modern laboratory and other equipment.

Talking to a delegation of students of Gomal Medical College at DlK, the governor also said that not only 52 new beds were being added to the hospital, but  efforts were also underway to create more special departments in the hospital. In fact, he said, the government was trying to create 10 to 20 different special departments in one of the major district hospitals in the province and the teaching hospital in D.I. Khan would receive special priority.

Provincial health minister, Dr Mehr Taj Roghani, was also present.