23 March 2004	Tuesday	01 Safar 1425

FAISALABAD, March 22: Federal Minister for Water and Power Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has said that the proposal to retain 35 per cent power tariff subsidy for farm tubewells will be presented before the cabinet in its next meeting.

He was speaking at a public meeting on Monday after inaugurating an electricity project in Tukra Jore Kambe village near Tanlianwala, about 100 kilometres from here.

He said that since agriculture had a major share in Pakistan's GDP, the government was making efforts to facilitate growers besides taking steps to overcome water shortage.

The government was aware of the importance of new water reservoirs and 42 per cent of the federal development budget was being spent on water and power sector development.

The concessions offered during the last Kharif season played an important role in bringing prosperity to the rural economies in addition to making Pakistan a self-reliant in agriculture.

Mr Sherpao said that PML and its allied political parties were determined to put Pakistan on road to progress and prosperity. "The opposition is also back in the assembly after wasting its first two years," he said and hoped that the opposition would also cooperate with the government in implementing its policies for the welfare and uplift of the masses.

Regarding the Faisalabad related issues of water and power, Mr Sherpao said that the quota to give electricity connections to tube-wells had already been achieved. He said that 20 per cent increase in the quota was being ordered to help meet the shortage of water in this area. He congratulated Fesco management for achieving the targets.

The minister said that there was no shortage of transformers. Damaged transformers would be immediately replaced. He said that small transformers of 10-15 KV would be installed to give electricity to rural extensions.

He said that Rs1.44 billion were being spent on development scheme out of which 55 per cent works had already been completed and the rest would also be accomplished positively before June this year.

Mr Sherpao directed the Fesco chief executive to prepare estimates for the electrification of the extensions of rural localities and said that Wapda would arrange funds for the purpose.

He further said that 20 villages of the Ravi belt would be given priority in this scheme. Federal Parliamentary Secretary Rajab Ali Baloch thanked Mr Sherpao for visiting a remote area of the country. He said that various development projects were being undertaken for the uplift of the area.

A dual carriageway between Tandlianwala and Faisalabad was being completed with an estimated cost of Rs700 million. Work on three new telephone exchanges for the area would be undertaken during the current financial year.

Tandlianwala Tehsil Nazim Ali Gohar Baloch said that a large number of development projects had been initiated in the area. He hoped that 90 per cent of the tehsil would be electrified if he was allowed to serve the people for the next one-and-a-half year.

Earlier, Aftab Sherpao inaugurated the project, which would supply electricity to seven villages of the area. A traditional turban was also presented to the minister on his arrival in the village. -APP