19 May 2004	Wednesday	28 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

PESHAWAR, May 18: Senior NWFP Minister Sirajul Haq said on Tuesday that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government is making endeavours for the welfareof the labourers and low-income segments of the society.

Speaking at a labour convention organized by the National Labour Federation at the Archives Hall, he said the provincial government had taken effective steps to eradicate corruption and check wastage of national wealth, besides maintaining a strict financial discipline.

He said non-development expenditures had been curtailed drastically, which helped in the allocation of more funds for development schemes. He said the government had taken revolutionary steps to enable thepoor people to get their children educated.

He said a committee led by the chief secretary had been formed tocurtail non-development expenditures and save money for vital public welfare projects. He said the provincial government had banned the holding of official functions at hotels.

He said the government would take labour-friendly steps and end all anti-labour policies and laws to improve the working conditions for the labour class. He said the government had raised the salaries of labourers from Rs1,800 to Rs2,500 per month and decreased the salaries of cabinet members.