LARKANA, April 14: The District Development Working Party (DDWP) approved 125 development schemes to be carried out in the district at an estimated cost of Rs63 million.

Sabhago Khan Jatoi, the district coordination officer (DCO), Larkana, chaired the meeting of the District Development Working Party on Monday.

The district officer, planning, told this correspondent on Monday that for the construction of new roads and bridges in the district, an amount of Rs13 million had been earmarked, while Rs50 million would be spent on the water supply and drainage schemes in the district.

The tenders for the purpose have been floated and the entire work would be completed by June this year under the Khushhal Pakistan Programme, phase-IV.

Prior to this technical approval, priorities were fixed in the light of the schemes submitted by the Taluka Nazims of the district. They had submitted development schemes worth Rs3 billion but after being prioritized only 125 were approved in the Khushhal Pakistan Programme (phase-IV), while the rest of them would be carried forward in the next phase of the Khushhal Pakistan Programme.

Prior to this approval by the District Development Working Party, all the schemes were discussed, reviewed and approved by the Mushawart Committee on March 26, which was chaired by the district Nazim, Khurshid Ahmed Junejo.

The executive district officer, finance, works and services, and the district officers of the planning, roads, buildings, infrastructure, and the engineers of seven Taluka municipal administrations participated in the meeting.

RICE MILLS: The general body meeting of the Sindh- Balochistan Rice Millers and Traders Association has expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation, and feared that the rice industry will collapse if it deteriorated any further.