May 15, 2003	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 12, 1424

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BAHAWALPUR, May 14: A number of social welfare organizations and people from all walks of life have strongly condemned Wapda for increasing electricity tariff for domestic consumers by seven paisas per unit.

In their separate press releases sent to Dawn, they criticized NEPRA and the government which allowed Wapda to increase power rates.

They said the increase in power rate would hit salaried class people.

They ridiculed the government claim that the increase would not affect the common man. They said parliamentarians and government servants who allowed increase would not be affected as their bills were paid from the taxes collected from the common man. That was why they did not realize what problems a salaried person had to face when rates of different utilities were raised.

They said the government had given concession on the use of just 50 units which was a sick joke with the poor. They said in summer the consumption of electricity increased due to the use of fans and an average family consumed at least 100 units per month.

They said though the government had reduced petrol prices, Wapda did not reduce electricity rate.

They urged the president and the prime minister to bar Wapda from increasing power tariff.

DIST GOVTS: The government of Pakistan with the assistance of Asian Development Bank (ADB) will spend $300 million on the improvement of district governments.

This was stated at a one-day training workshop here on Wednesday. ADB consultant Navid Alauddin and Punjab local government director (training) Iftikhar Ali Toor were present on the occasion.

The participants were told that $270 million would be spent on the provision of basic amenities while the remaining $30 million on training of the officials concerned.