FAISALABAD, April 11: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has announced to induct one each textile minister in federal and provincial cabinets to resolve problems of cotton growers, cloth manufacturers and textile tycoons. He was addressing the people gathered at the Iqbal Stadium in connection with mass marriage of 125 poor and deserving couples here on Sunday.

The prime minister said that industrialists and textile exporters had demanded a separate textile minister during his visit to Khurrianwala. He said he discussed the matter with Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi and Governor Khalid Maqbool and it was decided that textile ministers would be inducted in federal and provincial cabinets.

He said these ministers would supervise and monitor the process from the cultivation of cotton crop to preparation of textile made-ups as well as textile exports. This step would boost the textile exports and would also result in resolving the problems of the textile related sectors.

About the installation of water treatment plant which was a longstanding demand of industrialists of this region he said a huge amount would be provided to the district government.

The prime minister said that Rs1 billion would be provided to the district government in the next financial budget. Congratulating the newly-wed couples, he appreciated the efforts made by local philanthropists as well as the district government for arranging mass marriage.

Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi, Governor Khalid Maqbool and District Nazim Zahid Nazir highlighted the programme launched by the benefactors with the assistance of district and provincial governments.

Earlier, collective marriages of 125 deserving couples, including 15 minority couples from Faisalabad and adjoining districts, were held at crowded function. Each couple was given dowry of Rs10,000 in cash, ornaments of Rs15,000 and household articles worth Rs25,000. A copy of Holy Quran was also gifted to each Muslim couple by local religious leader Maulana Yousaf Anwar.