FAISALABAD, Nov 26: The Punjab government has planned extending basic necessities of life to under-developed urban and rural areas of the province and priority will be given to water supply and sewerage schemes besides setting up of education, health and communications infrastructure.

Punjab Chief Secretary Javed Mahmood said this while talking to reporters after inspecting different educational institutions, health establishments, TMA offices, sewerage and water supply schemes and different development projects in Jhumra, Jaranwala, Khurrianwala, Chiniot and Lalian on Wednesday.

Commissioner Zahid Saeed, Regional Police Officer Abdul Majeed, CPO Ahmed Raza Tahir and other officials accompanied the chief secretary and other top bureaucrats of the province on a marathon visit to this division since Tuesday.

He said police department had been equipped with modern gadgets to protect the life and property of the people.

The situation demanded a strategy to arrest the rising crime rate that could only create sense of protection among the masses, he said and directed police officials to utilise their all-out resources to nab proclaimed offenders and criminals.

He directed administrative secretaries to monitor the quality of medicine stocked in health institutions so that spurious drugs and unscrupulous elements could be checked.

He also emphasised a strict monitoring system to restrain illegal transportation of flour from the province besides keeping a vigil on tandoors supplying cheap Roti to the public.

The chief secretary reprimanded the officials of Khurrianwala police for poor cleanliness on the premises of their station and directed them to improve the situation.

He, however, expressed his satisfaction over the computerised registration of cases at the station and said the Punjab government was also working for the computerisation of revenue records. He said that people would be issued computerised documents possibly by next year.

Mahmood also heard demonstrators who were protesting against some land grabbers in Chak Jhumra.

Carrying banners, the protesters were demanding action against the alleged land grabbers ruling the area. The chief secretary directed action against the land grabbers and assured the protesters that culprits would be brought to justice.