DADU, June 3: Federal industries and production minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi has said that 30 per cent of the Dargah Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar funds would be utilized to provide basic facilities to devotees as well as residents of Sehwan Sharif.

Speaking to a gathering at the Sehwan irrigation rest house the other day, he said that he would urge the Auqaf department to utilize 30 per cent of the Dargah funds for provision of basic facilities, including medicines to hospitals of the district, and initiation of development schemes.

He said that work on a new Rs300 million water supply scheme had been initiated, through which 25,71,000 gallons of sweet water would be supplied to the area from the River Indus while work on a Rs7 million sanitation and drainage scheme would be started soon.

He said that sweet water, education, health and other schemes for fishermen of the Manchhar lake would be started soon and added that in the meantime, fresh water would be provided to the fishermen as well as inhabitants of surrounding villages through water carriers.

He assured growers of the Bambha and Talti watercourses that water shortage in their areas would be overcome and due water share released soon. Later, the minister listened to complaints of the public against different departments. Muttahida Muslim League leaders Roshan Buriro, Ahmed Khan Lund and Qasim Bozdar as well as nazims Farooque Solangi and Khadim Solangi also spoke on the occasion.