QUETTA, March 16: Chief Secretary K.B. Rind has said that the federal government is spending Rs135 billion on a programme to bring Balochistan on a par with developed areas of the country.

Speaking to the participants of the 84th management course of the Administrative College, Lahore, on Thursday the official said that work on large projects and other schemes had been accelerated and people would soon start getting benefits.

He said peace was necessary for development activities and the government had taken steps to ensure continuation of the process.

He said huge funds were needed to provide a good communications system to the scattered population in the province.

Mr Rind said completion of the Gwadar project would play a big role in the progress of Balochistan. The project would provide job opportunities and civic facilities to youths. The Kachhi canal project, he said, would give a boost to agriculture.

He said some tehsils in two districts were facing law and order problems but the trouble would not affect development activities in other districts.