BAHAWALPUR, Jan 4: Governor Khalid Maqbool has said 2,400 villages in the district will be electrified in a year at a cost of around Rs2 billion. He was addressing an open kutchery at the Circuit House here on Wednesday. He said on president’s directive the government had embarked upon a village electrification programme under which none of the villages in the country would be without power by 2007.

He said as the MEPCO was upgrading its installations and grid stations in Bahawalpur, 71 villages of Cholistan’s remote areas would also be electrified under the programme.

He said the president had sanctioned Rs180 million for the supply of gas to the remaining localities in Bahawalpur city.

He directed banks to advance Rs50,000 loans to women folks on lower interest rates and to the needy people of Cholistan.

He said 100 patients suffering from cancer and hepatitis would be provided free of cost treatment from Zakat fund. In addition, 100 deserving students and 50 poor students from each district would be provided scholarships and financial assistance for rehabilitation in the province.

In response to the complaints of gas consumers, the governor assured that the pressure would be normalized soon. Gas could be supplied to Nazirabad Colony here within one month.

On ginners’ complaint, the governor directed MEPCO to provide them electricity connections within 15 days.

He directed police to provide justice to a woman, who complained against police about the kidnap of her daughter.

The governor wound up his open kutchery in a haste as he had to leave for Rahim Yar Khan as a result which a number of people could not inform him about their grievances.

Earlier governor visited the BINO (Bahawalpur Institute of Nuclear Medicines.