BAHAWALPUR, Aug 23: A sum of Rs158 million will be utilized for carrying out development work in Cholistan under the Annual Development Programme during the financial year 2003-04.

This was stated by Cholistan Development Authority (CDA) managing director Maj-Gen Abdul Razzaq (retired) while briefing Bahawalpur Corps Commander Lt-Gen Syed Pervez Shahid here on Saturday.

The MD informed the Corps Commander that four water pipelines, measuring about 250 kilometres, were being laid with an amount of Rs387 million for providing drinking water to Cholistanis and their herds in the vast desert.

Out of these, he said, 80 kilometre long water pipeline from Chak 107/DB to Bijnot, costing about Rs153 million, would be completed within a year.

He further stated that under the allotment scheme, a total of 4,929 acres of land had been allotted to the bonafide Cholistanis.

He also informed the Corps commander that a sum of over Rs60 million in arrears were recovered from Cholistanis and deposited with the government treasury.

He said that a directory with complete information about the state land in Cholistan, uplift schemes, funds and other data would soon be available.