October 23, 2006	Monday	Ramazan 29, 1427

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LAHORE, Oct 22: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said on Sunday after repairing Taunsa Barrage, the government would rehabilitate five other important barrages in the province to ensure their functioning for another 100 years.

He was talking to a World Bank delegation which called on him here at his secretariat. The delegation was led by WB Managing Director Graeme Wheeler, while the chief minister was assisted by Chief Secretary Salman Siddique, P&D Chairman Suleman Ghani and P&D secretary Suhail Ahmad.

Mr Elahi accepted an invitation extended by Mr Wheeler on behalf of his bank president to visit its headquarters.

He said the barrages to be rehabilitated under a mega project in the next phase included Jinnah, Balloki, Sulemanki, Khanki and Islam headworks. Groundwork for the project had been completed, he added.

The chief minister said provision of civic amenities, reduction in poverty, development of backward areas and strengthening of social sector held a key position in the development strategy of the provincial government. The completion of all projects was being ensured through an effective monitoring system being operated from the chief minister’s secretariat.

He said special attention was being paid to combat backwardness in Southern Punjab which was being given development funds more than the proportion of its population.

The chief minister said provision of necessary facilities in 63,000 schools in the province had been ensured under the education sector reform programme.

He said the education reform programme had increased the literacy rate in the province. Thousands of teachers had been imparted training to enhance their teaching skills.

He said industrial development had been accelerated in the province under the private-public partnership. New industries were being established in the province under the government’s industrial policy, generating more employment opportunities.

He said special attention was also being paid to the strengthening of information technology sector in the province. A world standard software technology park was being established in Lahore, which would annually generate business worth billions of rupees. The park would have a business process centre and call centers, and thousands of people would get jobs upon its completion, he added.

The chief minister said the government had launched health sector reform programme to provide modern and better health facilities to people. Under this programme, all rural and basic health centres were being upgraded.

He appreciated the bank’s cooperation in the provincial government’s water and sanitation, land record computerization, rehabilitation of the Walled City of Lahore and improvement of the education sector programmes. Its cooperation for the provision of municipal services in big cities was also commendable, he added.

Mr Wheeler said social development sectors were being strengthened in the province through excellent financial management. The education sector programme of the province had become a role model in the world because of its exemplary execution.