SIALKOT, Oct 24: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has announced a Rs2 billion development package for the Sialkot district.

Speaking to a big public gathering at the Police Lines ground here on Friday, the chief minister also announced the construction of a bridge over river Tavi with a sum of Rs160 million.

He said the federal government would provide Rs60 million while the remaining funds would be shared by the Punjab government.

The chief minister said that Sialkot-Sambrial-Wazirabad and Sialkot-Eimanabad roads would be converted into dual carriage ways. He said a special grant of Rs100 million had also been allocated for the construction of roads in the Sialkot city.

The proprietary rights, he said, would be granted to inhabitants from Katchi Abadi Pulli Tope Khana to Saidpur.

Mr Elahi said the government would provide Rs100 million grant for the rehabilitation of decades old sewerage system and construction of all roads in Daska, besides constructing Daska-Wazirabad Road.

He said the government would also provide land for the establishment of a cadet college at Pasrur.

The chief minister said that funds would be provided for the establishment of colonies for journalists, lawyers and an engineering college in Sialkot.

The chief minister also reinstated over 1,000 teachers who had been terminated in 1995 in the Sialkot district.

The chief minister also met with a delegation of the Sialkot chamber of commerce and industry (SCCI) at the Civil Rest House.

Talking to the delegation, he hoped that the new industrial policy would bring an industrial revolution in the province as the government was committed to inject a new life into the sick economy.

Lauding the efforts of the Sialkot business community, he said they were sharing the burden of the government by undertaking different development projects on self-help basis.

He said the business community had played an instrumental role in eliminating the menace of child labour from the industrial sector in Sialkot.

Earlier, the chief minister inaugurated the newly-established 150 beds Chaudhry Aslam Trust Hospital at Uchiyan Karoliyan village, Daska tehsil.

Mr Elahi said the government would encourage private sector and philanthropists in their social welfare projects.

Later, the chief minister also inaugurated the hockey stadium being built by the district government on self-help basis in collaboration with the Sialkot business community.