LAHORE, June 17: Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Friday announced a raise for MPAs corresponding to the increase allowed by the federal government. The chief minister was speaking to the Punjab Assembly after the formal passing of the budget for 2005-06.

He said the Punjab government would pay Rs350 million for installation of time-of-day (TOD) electricity meters on tubewells so that Wapda could provide farmers off-peak charges facility like industrial connections.

The government had been pursuing the matter with Wapda for the last two years that it should provide off-peak hours facility to farmers like industrialists. Wapda had been maintaining that it needed special meters for the purpose, which cost Rs35,000. But, of late, it had told the Punjab government that a Chinese firm has agreed to provide such meters for Rs5,000 each.

The government had decided to pay the bill for such a meter for every farmer owning 25 acres. This would cost the Punjab government Rs350 million, but reduce power charges for the farmers by almost 50 per cent.

Pervaiz Elahi also declared that the Education Reform Programme, which was initially launched for three years, would be extended to 10 years. The World Bank had acknowledged the success of the programme and declared it a model plan from which over one million children had benefited during its first year.

He said the government also concentrated on education for special and begging children. Centres for special children were being set up at the district level. He claimed that no government had taken such steps in the past.

The next major plan of the Punjab government would be health-sector reforms under which free emergency facility would be extended to all major cities of the province. Basic health units and rural health units would be revamped.

The chief minister said this year the budget would alleviate poverty and induce employment in the province.

Talking about law and order situation, he said introduction of patrol police posts would help reduce crime. Over 10,000 people had been recruited and trained for the job.

He said industrial estates in the Punjab were booming and should help fight poverty.