July 19, 2008	Saturday	Rajab 15, 1429

LAHORE, July 18: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Friday the government had allocated Rs3.5 billion for setting up model schools all over the province.

“Model schools for boys and girls will be established in every district of Punjab, where free education and boarding facilities will be provided to the poor children,” he said during a visit to Rahim Yar Khan.

Speaking to MNAs and MPAs, and senior administration functionaries, he pledged to provide ample funds to southern Punjab to bring it on a par with better areas. According to a handout, he directed the administrative officers to conduct open courts on a regular basis to solve the problems of the people at the local level.

Saying that both health and education sectors were in a state of neglect, he emphasised the need for providing facilities to the institutions to stem the rot. He asked the officials to do adequate leg work to get first-hand knowledge of the public problems.

The Punjab government, he said, had brought about mega relief package under the Food Stamp Scheme for providing assistance to two million families.

The chief minister also announced establishment of an engineering college in Rahim Yar Khan and construction of the Islamia University Bahawalpur’s campus in the city. He said a committee would look into the educational affairs of the district.

Announcing a medical college in Rahim Yar Khan, he said if the proposed education committee showed satisfactory performance, an additional Rs90 million would be provided for the construction of the college building. He also gave nod to a college for women.

He said a new transport scheme was being launched to provide free pick and drop service to the poor students. The proposed committee, he said, would identify spots for the establishment of new schools here.

He also gave approval for establishment of 10 permanent police posts along the river Sindh, provision of 10 bullet-proof boats, river patrolling and recruitment of 200 expert divers as constables.

Later, Shahbaz Sharif attended a briefing at the Shaikh Zayed Hospital for which he announced a grant on the condition that its administration should sign a written agreement that this hospital would be transformed into the best health facility in Punjab.

A laboratory for diagnosis of hepatitis, 20-bed coronary care unit and provision of MRI machine also were okayed by the chief minister.