VEHARI, Dec 17: President Pervez Musharraf on Monday inaugurated mega gas project worth Rs3.7 billion which would benefit 1.3 million population of the districts of Vehari, Lodhran Pakpattan and Bahawalnagar .

The project has so far been completed in five tehsils of Burewala, Vehari, Dunyapur, Mailsi and Kehror Pacca.

Addressing a public meeting at Government College ground here, the president said remaining tehsils coming under the project would get gas in a year.

Praising the work done by the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL), Musharraf said the government would provide another grant of Rs750 million to complete the project.

He announced upgradation of the Vehari DHQ Hospital from 125 beds to 250 beds. He also announced a sub-campus of the Faisalabad Agriculture University in Vehari. Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool and caretaker minister for petroleum Ehsanullah Khan also addressed the meeting. Caretaker CM Ejaz Nisar was also present.