FAISALABAD, May 12: Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has announced Rs3 billion package for uplift and beautification of city and to provide modern healthcare and education to people. Speaking at a public meeting here at GTS Intersection on Thursday, he stressed the need to promote education in the country, adding that only a broad-minded and educated generation could lead the nation to progress.

He said the government had allocated Rs10 billion for educational reforms that were also being followed by other provinces.

He said after successful provision of free education and textbooks up to class VIII, the government was planning to provide the same facility to the students up to secondary level from the next year.

Talking about government initiative in the health sector, he said besides provision of free emergency medical care to patients in the outdoor wards of the DHQ hospitals, special measures were also being taken to modernize the dispensaries, basic health units and hospitals.

He said a 13-acre cardiology centre would be set up in the city at a cost of Rs1 billion. A modern CT-scan machine worth Rs70 million had been provided to the DHQ hospital which was a longstanding demand of the citizens, he added.

He also announced a well-equipped burn unit in the Allied Hospital at a cost of Rs200 million.

The CM said the Punjab government had chalked out a comprehensive plan to upgrade the Tehsil Headquarter Hospitals in the province, under which maximum funds would be provided to the hospitals in the district.

He said a record Rs1.5 billion had been provided to the local government for the construction of roads in the district, while over 80 per cent such projects had been completed.

The chief minister announced construction of an underpass at the Abdullahpur Intersection at an estimated cost of Rs250 million.

He said a plan to introduce flat power rates for the agricultural tubewells was also underway, while a package had been finalized for the growers which would be unfolded in the annual budget.

He also inaugurated an overhead bridge on Jhal Khanuana, completed at a cost of Rs470m. Earlier, Punjab communication and works minister and PML Secretary-General Chaudhry Zaheeruddin Khan lauded the policies of the regime.

Later, talking to journalists, the chief minister said the people should not respond to the calls of those political parties, which had divided the country for personal gains.

He expressed the hope that PML-backed candidates would win the local bodies elections for which dedicated and honest workers would be fielded from union council to district level.

He said it was the time to change the culture of politics of families within the political parties, and sincere workers should be considered for the top slots.

He said there was no reason for him to leave the post of PML Punjab president. Similarly, he said no one would be allowed to capture the party posts on the basis of family, he added.