PESHAWAR, Sept 29: NWFP Finance Minister Sirajul Haq disclosed here on Monday that all the four provinces had agreed on the early construction of the Bhasha dam instead of the controversial Kalabagh dam.

Citing his meeting with federal Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz and referring to the executive committee of the national economic council (ECNEC) meeting held in Islamabad, Mr Haq said he along with a group of political leaders from the NWFP talked to the federal minister for 45 minutes and briefed him about the net hydel profit outstanding against the federal government.

He said the federal government owed to the province Rs109 billion under this head.

He said Mr Aziz had assured the delegation that he would take up the issue with the prime minister and make some result-oriented efforts to resolve the matter.

He said senators Prof Khursheed Ahmed, Farhatullah Babar, Gul Naseeb Khan, NWFP’s additional chief secretary and finance secretary were also present at the meeting. They also spoke on the demands of the province.

Mr Haq said the Ecnec had approved Rs567.84 million for the early construction of the Bhasha dam. The dam would generate 3,660 MWs of electricity.

The provincial finance minister said the Ecnec had approved Rs221.55 million for water supply and sanitation schemes inside the Afghan refugee camps in the NWFP.

The Ecnec had also approved Rs537.647 million for the promotion of the basic education in the province.