August 27, 2006	Sunday	Sha'aban 2, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 26: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz was informed on Saturday that Mirani and Sabakzai dams would be completed by the end of this year and June 2007, respectively.

At a meeting held to review progress of ongoing development projects in Balochistan, Mr Aziz was told by the provincial chief secretary that Kachi Canal’s phase-I would be competed in 2008.

The chief secretary said 700,000 acres would be irrigated by the Kachi Canal, which included 102,000 acres in Dera Bugti. He said work on both sides of the canal was continuing to ensure early completion of the project.

He gave details of the implementation status of the Mirani Dam, Sabakzai Dam, Kachi Cannal, RBOD-III, development of Gwadar port/city, Quetta water supply and environmental improvement project and the Kohlu Development Package.

He said 38 water filtration plants had been set up in the province and 130 more sites had been identified for the purpose. He said the federal government had released Rs650 million for various projects under the Kohlu Development Package.

The prime minister was told that 122 acres had been selected for a cadet college and eight acres for a girls’ college in Kohlu.

The chief secretary said utility stores and NADRA centres had been established in several areas in Balochistan and more would soon be opened.

Prime Minister Aziz said that of the 30,000 vacancies created for the people of Balochistan in federal and provincial government departments, 23,000 had been filled and recruitment on the remaining posts was under process.

He said the government was working to bring development, stability and growth in Balochistan.

The prime minister said allocation of Rs164 billion by the federal government for 140 ongoing development projects in Balochistan was a manifestation of the government’s commitment to bring the province at par with developed areas of the country. These projects would create more jobs and provide better facilities of life to the people, he added.

He said the government had adopted a holistic approach for development of the province and economic and political initiatives were being offered to expedite growth and development in the province.

Mr Aziz said he had given Rs100 million to each district in Balochistan to initiate projects at the local level.

He said Mirs and Sardars of the province were contributing in government’s efforts for economic uplift of the area, and providing education and health facilities. The successful convening of the “Bugti jirga” was a landmark event and it would contribute to peace and development in Balochistan, he claimed.

He said the government was focusing on strengthening infrastructure and spending 35 per cent of the NHA budget on building a network of roads and highways in the province.

The meeting was attended among others by Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Saleem Saifullah Khan, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Mir Mohammad Naseer Khan Mengal and Planning Commission deputy chairman Dr M. Akram Shaikh.

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